Rebellion's Master
by DmCrebel25
Summary: Skyrim, the cold rugged homeland of the nords torn in half by a civil war and a new threat looms overhead. Everyone will know the story of how a mysterious outsider to this land saved it and the world from certain annihilation. Rated for Blood and violence. There are some AU elements. The genre will change same with reasons for rating.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: Well guys and gals this is my first fanfiction so if you guys have anything to say, tips, praise, criticism, I welcome it all and hope to grow from it and improve. This story is going to definitely be a long one, (considering it's like starting a new save in the game it should come as no surprise.) and I'll explain why I say there's some AU elements, I will be changing something's such as increasing the size of the cities and some locations or maybe change how characters and creatures look things like that nothing to drastic. Things will change including the genre, so don't be shocked when different genres find their way in here. So, without further ado, let's get this show on the road.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Elder Scrolls: Skyrim cause let's be honest if I did I would be flaunting that everywhere well or the DmC: Devil May Cry names.**

**Chapter 1**

"**A New Life"**

"_WHAT IN OBLIVION IS THAT_!?" someone yelled from outside waking Dante from his dreamless sleep. He was going to fall back into the bed he'd rented in the Helgen inn, but the crash that came after all the screaming nearly knocked him off his already shaky feet. Luckily he was already wearing his armor so he just had to grab his sword and bow and arrows on the way out to investigate what in oblivion was going on outside.

Dante stepped out into what was left of Helgen to find imperial soldiers dead and alive, much less of the latter, firing up in the sky. 'What are they shooting at' Dante thought, he didn't even have to look up to see, as the giant black dragon landed in the court yard on some of the soldiers, it then torched one of the buildings in the rapidly shrinking town. The smell of burning wood and flesh was overwhelming. Dante didn't have to be given the order to run, he wasn't stupid enough to try and fight this thing, and he headed straight for the collapsing part of the wall seeing this as his only salvation he clambered up as fast as he could, without hesitation he jumped down the other side. He rolled as he hit the ground to soften the landing and before racing into the forest he turned to see the flag of the Empire burn, a new era was beginning, and with that he disappeared into the forest.

After what was probably an hour or so of wandering the forest Dante could see a small village on the road ahead, but he had to dive into some of the thick brush as he saw the black dragon fly over head into the distance. Heading into the village Dante was greeted by the smell of white hot metal one he was all too familiar with. The blacksmith, a nord of average height (for a nord anyway) with blond hair and beard, kindly greeted him. Dante just nodded to him in greeting. Before Dante could continue on his way he heard the blacksmiths loud footfalls,

"Could you hold up a moment my friend?" the blacksmith asked with some hesitation.

"You don't know me so don't call me your friend." Dante replied harshly.

"Not to friendly are you? I was just wondering what you know of the dragon attack on Helgen?" The blacksmith responded.

Surprised, Dante asked, "How do you know of that it hasn't been more than an hour?"

"My nephew Hadvar serves in the legion and arrived not twenty minutes ago, he was in Helgen during the attack he escaped through some tunnels or something" the nord blacksmith answered.

"Well what do you want then?" Dante asked

"Well if you could I would request you go to Whiterun and get the Jarl to send some guard, Riverwood is defenseless!" the man practically begged.

"Look this dragon isn't my problem… but if you really need me to I guess I could handle that." Dante reluctantly agreed.

"Oh, thank the Divines" the blacksmith let out the breath he was holding.

"That never helped anyone, so how do I get to Whiterun from here?" Dante asked

"New to Skyrim eh? Just follow the road north you can't miss it." The blacksmith informed Dante

"By the way my name is Alvor" he told Dante

"Well I must be going now" Dante said ending the conversation abruptly.

Dante decided it best he just get to Whiterun, if Riverwood was truly defenseless as the blacksmith, Alvor, seemed to believe he shouldn't waste any time. After around a half an hour of walking the trail he could see the capital city of Whiterun hold, of the same name, in the distance across the great plains which made up Skyrim's central area, (at least according to the map he kept), the city was large but not compared to the Imperial City back in Cyrodiil which shrimped this city. What he assumed was the palace, Dragonsreach, stood tall and proud at the highest point in the city. While traveling the path to Whiterun which ran along the White River Dante passed what he assumed was a meadery by the strong smell of honey and alcohol. Just as he was about to move along he felt faint vibrations in the ground and could make out the sounds of battle somewhere further down the path. He rushed to the source to see three warriors battling a giant that made the two nord warriors look small in comparison before the battle continued Dante drew his bow and nocked an arrow drawing the bowstring to his cheek he released the arrow and all before the next swing could be made. The arrow slammed into its mark with the kind of force that could shatter bones, causing the giants right eye to explode and blood to pour from the fatal wound. Replacing his beloved bow, Aquila, Dante proceeded on his way or at least he tried before he felt a strong grip grab his arm, he could tell it wasn't aggressive or the one who grabbed him would either no longer have that arm or would be on the ground with a sword at their neck. Turning to face the owner of the hand on his arm he had to look down to look into her green eyes. Surprised it was a woman with such a strong grip it still didn't change anything he gave her a deadly glare that was cold as ice,

"I hope you're not left handed because if you don't remove it you'll lose it," Dante told her in a deadly tone.

"Well aren't you friendly," she said sarcastically as she quickly removed her hand.

"That's what I'm told," he retorted.

"Well I must say you handle yourself well you could make for a decent shield-brother." The odd woman remarked.

Now seeing her fully she had extremely long brown hair that hung all the way down her back, she was a tall nord at least the same height as the blacksmith, with a very toned muscular appearance though it wasn't overpowering with the odd ancient looking armor. She was quite beautiful even with the green war paint that looked as though it was the claws of some beast.

"What in oblivion is a shield brother" Dante asked confused

"An outsider, eh? Ever hear of the Companions?" the woman asked in her strong voice.

"Of course the 500 warriors of Ysgramor, correct?" Dante said

"Well yes actually," she replied surprised he was knowledgeable on such things.

"Although there aren't nearly as many of us now we still try to follow Ysgramor's teachings," the woman told Dante.

"You seem surprised that I knew of Ysgramor and his 500 companions," Dante stated,

"Not many nords or anyone for that matter know of history," she explained.

"Knowledge is a very important tool," Dante said matter-of-factually.

"Very true, I'm Aela." she told Dante holding out her hand for a handshake.

Ignoring her hand Dante replied "Who's your friend?" cautiously putting his hand on his blade as a large nord in strange armor mimicking a wolf and a very large two-handed sword approached standing as tall as he was but more muscular which said something.

"This is my shield-brother Farkas," Aela told him letting her hand drop to her side.

"Well I really should get going," Dante replied watching Farkas intently and backing away slowly.

"You should come to Jorrvaskr I have a feeling you would have a chance at joining with us." Aela said.

"I'll think about it, but no promises." Dante said. Without giving her a chance to say goodbye Dante turned fluidly and walked away up to the gates of Whiterun. Entering the city Dante could hear the conversation of someone and who he assumed was the blacksmith discussing an order of swords for the Imperials. Dante cared little for their conversation as he headed straight for the palace. The city was very simple to navigate the lower area known as the Plains District contained the market and other stores including some homes. Next was the Wind District which was the residential area which was extensive with more houses then he expected no doubt to house the large population there was a large courtyard with a dead tree in the center but plenty of other beautiful plants he made a mental note of the tree as he figured there had to be a story behind that. Across from the courtyard on a hill was Jorrvaskr he made another mental note on his climb to the final district the Cloud District which held the palace of Dragonsreach. Standing before the huge doors Dante took in the sight of the massive palace before entering.

Irileth stood in the main hall of the palace listening to the Jarl discuss the dragon attack on Helgen with his steward always vigilant and extremely analytical she took everything into account how tall someone is how much they weigh how they walk how they talk, it was all important to her. Suddenly the doors opened and in walked a man she assumed before they disappeared from sight while climbing the stairs when she saw him fully she could make out everything about him. He was a nord though it was actually not that easy to tell he didn't have the same rugged strong features, he was at least 6'4" and looked to be muscular but she could see that his size was refined he wasn't as big as some men but Irileth could tell he had no fat on him he made sure he stayed the same size, no bigger or smaller, his jet black hair was cut in an odd fashion the sides of his head wear shaved in a mohawk style except only the sides of his head, no higher, were shaved, the back was long enough to reach his shoulders, his bangs were swept to the left to where they became long enough to reach the corner of his mouth and sometimes cover his eye he was also clean shaven, he wore very tight black leather pants with his black armor was also very tight it was all made to fit like a second skin and was also made of leather to keep him light on his feet, there wasn't a nick or scratch anywhere. Over his shoulder Irileth noticed a quiver of arrows and a bow. One of his gauntleted and gloved hands came to rest on his sword in a relaxed and patient manner as he stopped in front of the Jarl's throne. His striking almost unnatural blue eyes held more knowledge and experience than his young age, which she placed in his early twenties, should ever contain, what made her draw her blade as she approached though, was the cold, calm, calculating countenance she saw in his eyes she would not allow him any closer to the Jarl even if it cost her her life which she thought he could easily accomplish.

Dante watched as the Jarls bodyguard approached him drawing her blade in the process the dark elf seemed to have taken in the scenario and deemed him a threat in the short amount of time it took to walk up to the throne.

"_What is the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors_" she said in an accusatory manner.

"_I bring news from Helgen of the dragon attack_," Dante replied calmly.

"_Well that explains why the guards let you in in the first place_," the elf said raising her eyebrows in surprise. She sheathed her sword and motioned for Dante to approach the Jarl.

"_So, you were at Helgen, you saw this dragon with your own eyes_?" the Jarl asked.

"It burned Helgen to the ground and last I saw it flew in this direction," Dante explained.

"Damn it, Irileth was right," Jarl Balgruuf said bitterly with urgency.

The jarl then discussed the matter further with his court before addressing Dante once again.

"Thank you very much for seeking me out of your own initiative, here take this gold as a reward" the Jarl told Dante handing him the reward.

"But I must ask you to help us further with a matter much more suited to your… shall we say 'expertise', come lets go see Farengar, my court wizard, he's been working on something for the rumors of the dragons return." Balgruuf explained leading Dante down some stairs

Following the Jarl of Whiterun Dante could sense a shift in the air; he wasn't just in a new land, he was starting a new life.

**More Author Notes: Well that's the first chapter I know it's as long as some entire stories but I hope you enjoyed it. I know the description of Dante was forced and maybe overly detailed but I couldn't help myself. Aela and Farkas are just the start of the characters that will look different I did try to keep to the original characters though. If you have suggestions for anything I encourage you to let me know well till next time.**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"**The Dragonborn comes"**

"A newcomer? Well, it's been some time since someone wished to join the ranks of the Companions." Kodlak Whitemane the leader of the Companions said to Dante, giving him quite the once-over.

"Well, am I allowed to join?" Dante asked waiting patiently for the old warrior to finish.

"Perhaps you seem to be in amazing condition but, how would you say you are in battle?" Kodlak asked.

"Better than the first three of you I met." Dante responded.

"Now, I'm confident they could have handled that giant on their own." Kodlak answered, putting out a calming hand before the fuming young warrior sitting next to him.

"This is Vilkas he'll be the one to test your mettle and see if you've got what it takes to join us." Kodlak informed Dante.

"Vilkas take him out to the yard to test his ability." He then told his young companion.

"If that is your wish Harbinger," Vilkas replied obediently.

Following him out Dante thought on his task for the Jarl to bring his court wizard the Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barrow. It seemed a simple task but from experience he knew it wouldn't be. The hall of Jorrvaskr was rather large the main mead hall ran across the entire ground level, the quarters were down a flight of stairs that's where the Companions slept. As Dante and Vilkas exited Dante saw some tables no doubt to watch others train in the yard he noticed some people would be observing his "test".

"The old man wanted me to have a look at you so," Vilkas said drawing his sword and turning to face Dante.

"Let's do this, go ahead and take a few swings at me so I can see if you're as good as you think you are." Vilkas said with a smirk.

"Unless you have a death wish I'd advise against fighting me" Dante said in a relaxed manner folding his arms across his chest.

"Aren't you cocky," Vilkas said in a annoyed tone,

"Just swing at me, or are you a weak milk drinker?" Vilkas joked.

"Look if you want to get hurt then I guess I'll oblige," Dante said in a tone just as relaxed as before.

Drawing his sword, a beautiful yet sinister blade made of ebony from an equally beautiful sheath. He appraised his opponent, his stance is perfect but he wouldn't expect an attack toward his legs he fights from the front not with finesse or surprise. Dante kicked Vilkas in the side of his leg it made a sickening popping sound as his knee dislocated, as Vilkas dropped to the ground Dante brought his knee up into his face, hard, before Vilkas knew what was going on he had lost and been put out of commission until his knee was fixed.

"To think," Dante said disappointedly, "I didn't even have to use Rebellion." Replacing his beloved sword Dante put an arm around Vilkas' shoulder and helped him to his feet. Blood flowed like a river from his nose.

"You might be as good as you thought but your still a whelp to us new blood so do as your told, take my sword to Eorlund up at the Skyforge to have it sharpened" Vilkas said cringing in pain.

"Why don't I get you inside fir-"

"No, someone else will, do as your told." Vilkas said cutting Dante off.

Instead of arguing he let go of Vilkas who collapsed the second Dante walked away with his sword to the Skyforge. It wasn't far at all; the Skyforge and Jorrvaskr are on the same hill. Climbing the stairs Dante came upon it the forge was shaped like an eagle spreading its wings; it was full of what appeared to be lava. The blacksmith turned from his work at the anvil to face Dante he was a nord who was taller than average and had a powerful build despite his age most likely from his trade, he smelled of sweat and metal and wore some old hide armor that displayed his build.

"What business do you have with me?" Eorlund said

"I'm bringing you Vilkas' sword," Dante told the old blacksmith.

"Then you must be the newcomer, I'm Eorlund Gray-Mane I work the Skyforge" He told Dante.

"Does Vilkas always make the new members do pointless errands?" Dane asked

"Ah, they were all whelps once; they just don't like to talk about it, and don't always just do as your told nobody rules anybody in the companions." Eorlund told him.

"How does that work with no order or leadership?" Dante asked rather confused.

"Well Kodlak is the Harbinger but he's more of an advisor for the group. Though there hasn't been a real leader since Ysgramor himself." Eorlund explained to Dante.

"Well if that's all I'll be going now," Dante said turning to leave.

"One moment I have a favor to ask" Eorlund said,

"Everybody wants something, what is it you need?" Dante asks turning back around.

"I've been working on a shield for Aela, I just finished it not long ago, but my wife is in mourning and I want to get back to her soon, I would be much obliged if you would take it to Aela for me." The blacksmith asked hopefully.

"I'll do it" Dante responded.

"That's a good man" Eorlund said handing him a banded iron shield. Heading back into Jorrvaskr Dante asked where he could find Aela he was told she was in her quarters downstairs. Downstairs he wanders around until he hears her voice through the door, to what he assumes is her quarters. Opening her door he notices she was talking to Skjor.

"Aela, I have your shield from Eorlund." Dante said in a formal way.

"It's always business with you, but thank you for bringing this, so you decided to join up after all?" She asked with a delighted look.

"You know this one? I saw him training in the yard with Vilkas," Skjor said interjecting.

"Ah, yes I heard you gave him quite the thrashing," Aela said smiling slightly.

"That's putting it lightly; this one dislocated Vilkas' knee so bad it can't be fixed without magic, he also broke his nose and he didn't even use his blade." Skjor said pointing at Dante.

"My, my, you're quite the fighter but could you handle Vilkas in a real fight?" Aela asked raising an eyebrow.

"A real fight? He couldn't muster one against me; I could have killed him in a single blow." Dante said with an icy smirk.

"Whoa we're rough but we won't kill a shield-sibling over a dispute. I must say though, that look in your eye it's not one I've seen in any other Companion it's cold, calculating normally it's a blazing fire but you…" Aela's voice trailed off.

"Well let's have Farkas show you were you'll be resting your head." She said.

"FARKAS!" She and Skjor called out in unison. Dante heard someone big running up the hallway.

"Did you call me?" the big nord from the farm asked entering the doorframe. He looked just like Vilkas only bigger and a bit more unkempt but they even shared the same war paint.

"Of course we did ice-brain, show this newcomer where the rest of the whelps sleep." Aela said teasing the big nord.

"Newcomer? Oh I remember you, come on follow me." Farkas said leading Dante down the hall. "Skjor and Aela like to tease me but they're good people, they challenge us to be our best." Farkas explained.

"I hear you showed that you may be better than my brother if that's true then I sure hope we keep you, it can get a little boring around here." Farkas said.

"Well here we are just pick a bed and fall in it when you're tired, it seems the others are eager to meet you. If you need something to do I have a something." Farkas said proposing a job.

"Couldn't hurt" Dante told him.

"Well there's a group of bandits causing trouble near Riverwood they're hold up in the old Embershard Mine and we've been hired by the Jarl to take care of it." Farkas explained.

"Simple, it'll be done." Dante said with confidence.

"Good to hear, show them no mercy." Farkas said with a smile.

Walking out Dante heard Farkas call out to him.

"Before you go… Welcome to the Companions." Farkas said. Dante nodded before walking out.

When he had gotten to Riverwood Dante decided to take care of the Bleak Falls Barrow job from the Jarl, he had heard that the general store had been robbed. Talking to the store's owner; Lucan Valerius and his sister Camilla, Dante found out that only thing that had been stolen was an ancient golden statue in the shape of a dragon's claw. He could guess were the thieves took it. Standing before the ancient Nordic tomb he wondered just how the court wizard found out that this Dragonstone was here. When questioned he just said he had reliable sources. Not wasting any time he pulled the hood of his midnight black cloak over his head also pulling up the cowl to cover his face he went to work on the bandits outside.

Positioning himself on an arch over one of them he loosed the arrow he had drawn, from Aquila it pierced the heart of one of the bandits punching clean through his armor made of various furs. Replacing Aquila Dante drew Ebony and Ivory, twin daggers he kept sheathed under his quiver of ebony arrows; he dropped from the arch on top of the bandit bellow knocking him to the ground and slicing clean through the bandit's jugular and throat. From here he threw the curved twins into two more bandits. Easily dodging the attack of one carrying a large two-handed battle axe Dante spun around kicking him in the face then dropping to the ground spinning once again, sweeping his legs out from under the bandit. Standing up Dante walked over to the bandits head and gripping his jaw and the base of his skull he tugged snapping the bandit's neck. 'Perfectly executed' Dante thought, it had all happened in about fifteen seconds. He then entered the ancient tomb.

The first room was quite large and held two sentries after quickly eliminating them Dante moved along deeper into Bleak Falls. The place held a musty smell but considering it is over a thousand years old that isn't surprising. The eerie silence was almost oppressive Dante eventually came to a room with plenty of ancient corpses they were well preserved something he knew the ancient nords were rather good at. Some were in the deteriorating armor of their long dead era. They even had their weapons gripped in their hands. Right as Dante went to move along he heard the same popping sound from when someone cracks their knuckles or neck. Turning slowly he saw the corpses in armor standing up after thousands of years. "Draugr" Dante said to himself he had never seen them before and knew why some never wanted to. They moved towards Dante as if they were young warriors again their eyes glowing with some ancient magic no doubt set to stop intruders such as him or the bandits.

The Draugr would have been terrifying to most people but Dante wasn't most people. Ducking under the swing of a greatsword Dante drew Rebellion and fluidly slashed the ancient nord's gut open but nothing spilled out just a plume of dust. Rather than let his confusion get the best of him and catch that greatsword somewhere that will actually bleed Dante swung Rebellion at the next one cleaving it's arm off but, it didn't even flinch just lost its shield and brought its war axe down at Dante who blocked with Rebellion. The blow was quite jarring especially considering it was a corpse older than the Empire. Dante rolled away giving himself some breathing room to think. There are three of them and one of him but he also had to think of how to kill them. Deciding decapitation was his best option Dante moved back in going for the one he hadn't hit yet and fluidly spun around its blow and brought Rebellion around cleaving its head off, the rest of it's body dropped like a ton of bricks. 'Well that was a lucky guess' Dante thought. The other two were superior warriors to the bandits so it did take a little longer to kill them but after that he moved along avoiding some traps and finding his way deeper into the tomb. Dante came across what he guessed must be a Frostbite Spider's nest he cut into the thick web blocking his path and found a dark elf, no doubt one of the bandits, trapped in some of the spider's webbing.

"Watch out its coming back" the elf called out. Lone and behold the huge spider dropped down in front of Dante not bothering to draw a weapon he cast out a powerful Thunderbolt that launched it back into the wall, dead.

"Oh thank Azura you came when you did it was about to finally kill me no doubt" the dark elf said in the same accent most had. Realizing this would no doubt be his best shot at finding out where the golden claw was Dante decided to question him.

"Where's the golden claw?" Dante asked in a deadly tone

"Ah, yes the claw and the door I know how they all fit together. Cut me down and I'll show you" the thief said. Knowing if the elf tried to give him the slip he could easily stop him Dante decided to cut him down. Not surprisingly he tried to take off but before he could get far Dante launched an Icy Spear which pinned the thief to a Draugr that had just awakened knocking both off their feet. Dante leisurely strolled up to the lovely new couple and searched the younger ones pack finding the claw Dante stood.

"I personally am not into necrophilia but everyone has their vices." Dante said mockingly as he walked away with the claw in hand. Dante eventually found his way to a great door with three stone rings and images of different creatures. 'It must be some kind of puzzle' Dante thought to himself. 'And this must be the door that the thief mentioned.' Realizing that it had something to do with the claw, as the thief had mentioned Dante pulled it back out. Inspecting it he noticed that it also had the same type of images that the door had. Dante fixed the rings to match the sequence on the claw and inserting it he opened the door.

He found himself in a room with a large chest full of assorted loot none of which interested him he already had armor and weapons. He did grab some of the precious gems in the chest though but saw no sign of the Dragonstone in the chest or the ancient shelves.

"Reliable sources my ass." Dante retorted bitterly. Turning around to leave Dante was face to face with a giant wall it held some carvings in an ancient language he assumed. One of the carvings seemed to glow and something unknown within Dante willed him to approach removing his hood and cowl he walked up to the word. Rubbing his hand along the carving he heard himself mutter the word written in an ancient language he knew he recognized. "_FUS,"_ how did he know what the carving said?

Just then he heard the ancient coffin burst open. Spinning around he faced yet another of the Draugr but this one was different, it's armor more ornate it wore a helmet that bore horns. It drew a large greatsword that held the light blue glow of a frost enchantment. Before Dante had a chance to react it charged at him, he barely had time to dodge its blow. Rolling out of the way he drew Rebellion. Facing his opponent Dante swung for the neck attempting a decapitation the Draugr easily bobbed out of the way. Dante had to quickly go on the defense blocking a strike from the large greatsword. Backing up a little he went for the right leg he caught it but not with enough to hinder it's movement. The Draugr must have expected this attack as it caught Dante by the throat with an iron-like grip. It lifted him clear of the ground the Draugr had been taller than him before but not now as Dante was held up like he weighed nothing. Before the Draugr could continue Dante shoved Rebellion through its skull destroying whatever part of it the magic still held onto.

Dropping to the ground coughing Dante was glad that the Draugr hadn't disarmed him. Dante approached the empty coffin to find that it wasn't, sitting in the center was what he instantly knew was the Dragonstone. "Wait, Dragonstone… that language it's the language of the dragons." Dante said with realization, he remembered reading of the ancient language and the power it held long ago, but how did he know what the word said but not what it meant and also how didn't he know any of the other words from the wall or the books. So many questions ran through his head and he didn't have any answers.

Dante walked out of Bleak Falls Barrow in a daze, he figured he'd handle those bandits and return the claw before returning to Whiterun. The bandits posed no threat to Dante and he made short work of them. Lucan was grateful to have the claw back and rewarded Dante well, it didn't really matter to him he just wanted to get to Whiterun.

When entering Farengar's study Dante noticed a woman in leather armor wearing a hood by her height alone which he placed at around 5'5" Dante could tell she was certainly no nord her skin color pointed to breton instead of the darker toned redguards and imperials. He caught a glance of her face she seemed older in her fifties from what it looked like. She and Farengar were discussing the dragons from what he had made out.

"Ah, there you are, did you bring the stone tablet?" Farengar asked. Dante set down the Dragonstone on the table.

"You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got that all by yourself. Impressive." The woman said, Dante found it rather ridiculous how high she had to look up to see his face, being nearly a foot taller than her.

"Farengar you'll make me a copy of your findings when you're done, right?" she asked the court wizard.

"Of course, it will take me some time to study it though." Farengar told her

"That's fine just get it to me." The woman said standing up straight from leaning over the table. Just then Irileth came racing in.

"Farengar, a dragon was just seen at the Western Watchtower. You should come as well." She said pointing to Dante. They followed her upstairs to the war room where the Jarl was waiting with a Whiterun soldier.

"I brought them as you requested." Irileth said in her usual obedient tone.

"Good job Irileth, now soldier what was it that happened at the watchtower?" Jarl Balgruuf asked of the soldier. He went on to tell of how a dragon had come and attacked the tower. Dante had to know.

"What did the dragon look like?" He asked the soldier.

"I'm not quite sure I didn't get a good look before I brought word" the soldier said

"Well, was it black with red eyes?" Dante asked with some urgency.

"Um, well I couldn't tell what color it's eyes were, but it wasn't black more of a dark brownish green." The soldier told him.

"Then this isn't the same dragon that attacked Helgen." Dante stated.

After this statement they knew what they had to do. At the gates Irileth gave a contingent of soldiers a pep talk to embolden them enough to face a dragon. Out on the plains the small army moved toward the remnants of the Western Watchtower. Even from the distance they stood they could smell the burning of wood and flesh. The fires of the tower stood out in stark contrast against the night sky. Approaching the tower it was silent except for the crackle of the fires. When Dante walked to the opening into the watchtower a soldier came out.

"No, get out of here it will kill you all!" the soldiers shouted. And as if on que the dragon landed crushing a group of soldiers and causing the ground to rumble so hard it knocked some of the men off their feet. It then torched at least fifteen men before grabbing two in one of its four massive hands and flying up in the air letting those two go when it was in the air. Blood, mangled skeletons, and tattered uniforms were all that remained of the men it had landed on. The next time it landed it couldn't crush anyone but it picked up four men this time crushing them [n it's fist causing a shower of blood to coat plenty of the other men. This was no battle it was slaughter. The dragon then chomped up three more men in its jaws before biting down hard enough to split them into pieces, heads, arms and legs fell down as it swallowed the rest. There was blood everywhere, men were fleeing and the ones that weren't were trying to shoot it down, the arrows just bounced off its thick scales before it killed them. Dante fed up with watching the men die, charged at it Rebellion drawn the dragon just swept his giant arm swatting Dante into the watchtower's walls dazed and unsure of if this thing could even be killed, Dante felt the back of his head the tight leather gloves he wore with his gauntlets came back warm and red. Picking Rebellion up off the ground Dante tried to think of a plan through the swimming images of fire and slaughter. "This is so stupid," he said to himself as he charged up to the back of the dragon and jumped onto it's tail, from here he climbed to its back. The dragon reached around to try and swat him off but when it reached for him Dante slashed out with Rebellion he must have cut through its scales as the clawed hand recoiled back.

"Irileth!" Dante called out to the elf. She appeared not a moment later on the ground by the dragon.

"Grab a sword and toss it up here!" he yelled out the order still hanging on to the spikes of the dragon's back for dear life. Not ten seconds later a steel sword found itself flying up in front of him. Jamming Rebellion in the dragon's back which elicited a furious roar he caught the sword and then jammed it in so he could return Rebellion to it's sheath. He took it back up; just then the dragon took off again with Dante on his back. It tried to spin to shake him off but Dante jammed the sword in his back again and wrapped his legs tight around the dragon's spikes. When it leveled back out Dante removed the sword and wrapping his left arm around the dragon's spikes he hurled the swords with all his might at the thinner skin that covered its wings, it connected. The dragon let out another roar and it slightly veered in the direction of the damaged wing Dante moved up its back further closer to it's head. Drawing Aquila Dante nocked an arrow flipping his head to get his bangs out of his eye he aimed for the sword's handle, he fired and the arrow met its mark tearing the sword all the way down the length of the wing. The dragon roared in agony and now began plummeting to the ground. It hit the ground tearing it up in a long line until it eventually stopped but Dante kept going flying forward off the dragon's back and smashing into the ground about sixteen or seventeen feet away when he got up the men had surrounded the wounded dragon and Dante could feel blood running down the right side of his face and down his left cheek, his peripherial vision was gone and he was fighting to remain conscious. Before he could tell them it wasn't dead the dragon breathed fire on all the men in front of it. It then stood back up to its full height which towered over the men. Dante had to kill it but he had to get to it's head first, he ran or tried to but when he tried his face met the ground, hard, the world and his thoughts went black.

Dante woke up in a soft bed he didn't know where he was the silk sheets and thick blanket felt foreign to him he wasn't in his armor but in the pants he wears to sleep in and without a shirt on so he could see his own extremely toned and refined muscular body and the tattoos that ran down his arms and across his collarbone the rest he couldn't see. What truly confused him was the exquisitely beautiful woman next to him she felt familiar to him, important, but he couldn't place why? Her beautiful black hair hung down to the small of her back she rolled over to look at him her eyes glowed a ruby red and her skin was as white as snow. A vampire but yet he felt at peace not on edge like he should. She leaned over and lightly kissed Dante.

Dante shot awake on the battlefield on the hard ground bleeding instead of in the soft bed with that beautiful vampire. "Shit the dragon!" Dante yelled to himself remembering what was going on. He pushed himself up his hair hanging in his left eye like it tended to do, some of it stuck in the gash on his left cheek. He looked ahead seeing the dragon killing the men. 'No more time to sleep' Dante thought to himself taking off after the dragon. When he rejoined the battle he threw one of the many swords on the ground at the dragons head it hit the dragon but only enough to get it's attention which is all he wanted. The dragon spun to face him it seemed annoyed by Dante and must have decided it was going to end it. It brought it's head down to bite him but Dante swung Rebellion at it's advancing snout cutting through the thin scales of its face easier than Dante thought it would. The dragon recoiled, it's head lowered and Dante took his only shot, he ran over and jumped up on the dragon's head holding on to one of it's horns he started slashing at its face the dragon would have fought back but the blows were to quick and to painful. At last he swung down in front of it's eye and shoved Rebellion through the large orange eye of the dragon it roared in pain and rage Dante had to push with all his might to push Rebellion through the skull and pierce its brain.

When the dragon collapsed dead, Dante collapsed exhausted. But, pushed himself back to his feet, just then there was a crackling sound similar to the fires all around but it came from the dragon itself. Suddenly its skin began to flake away all around revealing its skeleton and some orange and blue glow swirled around escaping it as it burned away. To Dante's great surprise it began to get sucked into him he had no idea what was happening but he felt better, more energetic when it was done he felt like he could fight a group of dragons. He still had no idea what had happened to him though.

"I can't believe it you're… Dragonborn!" one of the surviving soldiers proclaimed in a heavy nordic accent.

"What that can't be, the Dragonborn is some great hero or whatever." Dante exclaimed.

"It must be, the Dragonborn is said to be able to absorb the power of any slain dragon that must be what just happened!" the soldier said.

"Well….. maybe" Dante said hesitating.

"According to the legends only the Dragonborn can shout like the dragons do without training, try it and we'll know for sure." The soldier explained to Dante.

'Well here goes nothing,' Dante thought. Suddenly the word from Bleak Falls Barrow had meaning he understood it, _FUS_ it meant force some unknown force within him made him picture forcing something across a room with nothing but his voice.

"_FUS!_" the shout roared out of him just like a dragon pushing one of the men back quite a few steps. It thundered through the air echoing in the open plains. At this the men all began oohing and ahing at the newly awakened Dragonborn.

"What do you think of this Irileth you've been awfully quiet?" one of the soldiers asked the Housecarl.

"I think we just killed a dragon and should be worried about informing the Jarl of this amazing feat." The dark elf said.

"No disrespect but WE didn't, the Dragonborn did," another soldier stated

"We all helped accomplish this" Irileth said.

"All we did was make it angry and get ourselves killed the Dragonborn would have been better off without us getting in his way" the soldier stated plainly all the survivors agreed. Now taking note they had lost most of the 85 men that they had brought, there were only 22 left. They had lost 63 men and if he hadn't been there they would have all died. Dante could only imagine how many of the citizens it could have killed before finally being brought down. Irileth asked Dante to bring word to the Jarl while she and the survivors gathered what's left of the men who were killed. Dante headed back to the city wondering where his life would take him in the future now that he was the Dragonborn, but also about the dream he had when he was knocked out one thing was for sure he had a long way to go and this was barely even the beginning.

**Authors Notes: Well here's Chapter 2. I hope you guys enjoy it and that you liked that bit of foreshadowing. I'm sure you can guess were that's going. Anyway until next time.**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"**The Greybeards"**

Walking back through the gates of Whiterun Dante was bringing word to Jarl Balgruuf of the dragon's death. As he entered the residential area of the city there was a thunderous voice that called out, "DOV-AH-KIIN!" Dante looked around not really expecting to find the source of the thunderous voice. People who passed him were staring probably because of the blood still trickling from the wounds on his face. Ignoring the peoples stares Dante headed straight for Dragonsreach. He walked straight up to the throne where the Jarl was sitting with a worried expression he had an obscured view as his bangs still hung in front of his left eye.

"Well is the dragon defeated?" Jarl Balgruuf asked noticing that his Housecarl was missing.

"I killed the dragon but not before most of the men were killed but your Housecarl is still alive." Dante told the Jarl.

"How many?" the Jarl asked gravely lowering his head.

"63 of the 85 we left with won't be coming back…. But it turns out I'm Dragonborn." Dante stated. The hall was dead silent shocked more by the latter.

"Truly?" the Jarl asked breaking the silence.

"I absorbed some kind of power from the dragon when I killed it." Dante said.

"Then it was you the Greybeards summoned not long ago." Balgruuf said with almost excitement.

"You mean the masters of the Way of the Voice?" Dante asked remembering reading and hearing about the old monks.

"That's correct, then you've heard of them and their monastery of High Hrothgar?" the Jarl asked.

"Well yes, but what do you mean they summoned me?" Dante asked.

"Didn't you hear that booming voice not long ago? That was the voice of the Greybeards summoning you to High Hrothgar. This hasn't happened since Talos was still Tiber Septim and was summoned." The Jarl's Brother spoke up. From here he and the Jarl's Steward started arguing. The Jarl made Dante the Thane of Whiterun and thought he more than earned the right to live in his city, granting him a house free of charge the Jarl would even furnish it himself. The conversation did veer back to the Greybeards and his summoning.

"I envy you, you know? To climb the seven thousand steps again… I made the journey once... Well any way, good luck on your journey I hope to see you again soon my friend." The Jarl said.

Dante nodded and walked away but as he was about to leave a young nord woman approached him though she was probably a few years older than him and a little shorter than average for a nord woman about 5'9" her hair was also dark brown uncommon in nords then again his hair was black so it's not that strange.

"I hear you are to be my Thane." The woman said to him.

"I take it your my new Housecarl?" Dante asked the woman.

"Yes, I'm Lydia." She told him.

"Well look I'm not one to have a servant or settle down so it's going to be more like you live in that house, on the rare occasion I stop there it'll be because I don't want to spend money at the inn." Dante explained to her.

"Yes, my Thane" Lydia said obediently

'Well I guess that works' Dante thought walking out of Dragonsreach. Heading through the front doors of Jorrvaskr Dante was instantly greeted by Farkas who was standing their waiting for him.

"Well I sure hope those bandits look worse" Farkas said pointing out the wounds and Dante's disheveled appearance.

"The bandits didn't do this, I just killed a dragon for the Jarl." Dante said feeling like he needed to get clean and heal up.

"Did you really?" Farkas said in honest shock.

"How big was it, did it actually breath fire?" Farkas rattled off questions sounding much like a child at the moment. Dante then told Farkas all about the battle and the dragon.

"That's amazing" Farkas said in wonder.

"I think you're a better warrior then the lot of us combined!" He exclaimed slapping Dante on the back which to both their surprise caused him excruciating pain.

"I guess I broke some ribs" Dante said breathing heavily as the sharp pain subsided.

"Well here's the reward for killing those bandits." Farkas said leaving Dante sitting on one of the benches.

"You know he may be simple minded but you shouldn't lie to him." The voice of a strong woman said behind him coming up. 'Aela.' Dante thought.

"I wasn't lying I did kill a dragon" he told her

"Yes, and I'm actually a man" the huntress joked.

"That explains a lot including beard." Dante retorted. At this Aela looked quite insecure as she rubbed her smooth chin.

"I was kidding," Dante said chuckling.

"Well it would make me a better man than you" Aela said pointing to his own cleanly shaved chin.

"Yeah but I bet I make a pretty good-looking woman," Dante said taking her blow in stride.

"You certainly are already an attractive man so maybe," Aela said flirting with him. At this Dante shifted on the bench uncomfortable with that.

"I can prove I killed a dragon." Dante said changing the subject.

"Is that so?" Aela asked suspiciously "How?"

"I'll show you the body and the battlefield." Dante explained plainly.

From here he and Aela left Jorrvaskr heading out on to the plains. They headed to the watchtower were there were still soldiers collecting corpses or what was left of them. Dante could see the shock in Aela's features at the carnage and the fires that still burned. When he showed her the skeleton she asked where its skin and flesh were but before he could come up with an excuse one of the soldiers spoke up.

"He's the Dragonborn; he absorbed the dragon's power." At this Aela's jaw dropped and she stared at him.

"That can't be it just…" her voice trailed off.

"It's true, Dragonborn show her your shout." The soldier told Dante.

"Uhh, fine." Dante agreed.

"_FUS!"_ Dante thundered knocking the soldier back quite a few steps nearly knocking him from his feet.

"By Ysgramor it's true!" Aela nearly shouted.

"Look can you get back to Jorrvaskr on your own? I have to get going. I have something I need to do." Dante said turning away from her scrutinizing eyes.

"Of course I can, but where are you going?" She asked.

"That isn't your concern huntress" Dante said coldly just looking over his shoulder slightly before striding off.

In a more rough part of the White River were the water moved quicker Dante took a bath cleaning himself up and using a powerful healing spell on himself healing his cuts and knitting back together his broken ribs which was extremely painful but Dante didn't even flinch he was so used to pain he could tolerate more than anybody should. When he was all cleaned and getting dressed before he put his shirt on he thought about his dream, he never dreamed he only had nightmares, he's only ever had nightmares part of why he feared nothing, but this time a pleasant dream? It completely confused him and why the woman was a vampire, he had killed his fair share of them and then some, but he remembered she felt familiar and important to him. He banished the dream and the memory of it.

"I don't deserve something like that." Dante said bitterly to himself looking at his evil side which was the tattoos of evil symbolism running up his left arm and the red roses with black thorny vines across the left side of his collar bone. The words Hate were written in a beautiful and sinister script on his left fingers excluding his thumb. Dante looked hopefully at his good side which held the same idea only instead of evil symbolism it was good running down his right arm and instead of red roses with black thorny vines the right side of his collar bone was covered in blue roses with green vines that lacked thorns. Finally his right hands fingers held the outline of the word love in a beautiful script but it wasn't filled in like the left, he had lost the ability to love or maybe he didn't believe he deserved to feel it. Having wasted enough time, Dante pulled the tight black long sleeve shirt he wore under the thick black leather one on before putting the rest of his gear on. From the river Dante followed the path around the mountain heading toward The Rift through Eastmarch. He ran into some bandits hold up in some old towers that spanned the White River. They wanted a "tax" Dante showed them all what their guts look like before moving on.

The part of Eastmarch Dante traveled through was hot springs and it smelled of sulfur in plenty of places. He did notice the many giant camps here. Avoiding them as he knows that giants are generally peaceful creatures unless provoked or you bother their mammoths. On the way up and into The Rift Dante came across the small mining village of Shor's Stone which seemed to have a problem with frostbite spiders in their mine. The blacksmith is the one who hired Dante to clear the mine. It took him about five minutes to kill all the spiders. Dante then returned to the blacksmith.

"If you aren't feeling up to killing that many spiders then you can just say so I won't hold it against you." The blacksmith told Dante.

"The spiders are dead." Dante proclaimed.

"What!? It's been five minutes!" the blacksmith nearly yelled.

"They're spiders not dragons, if you don't believe me then go take a look inside." Dante explained.

After checking the mine the blacksmith gave him his reward. After that detour Dante got back on the path to Riften. It didn't take long to get to the gates of the city on Lake Honrich. The guard at the gate tried to extort him to get into the city but when faced with the threat of being found face down in the lake with his manhood in his mouth and his own intestines wrapped around his throat the guard thought better of it. Entering the city Dante was greeted by a Large nord who while he was a bit more muscular he was only of average height, noticeably shorter than Dante.

"What are you doing in Riften stranger?" He asked in a sardonic tone considering he was older than Dante it seemed rather pathetic that he would be trying to bully him.

"It's none of your business." Dante said annoyed.

"That's where your wrong your new in town making you my business." He said standing up straight in what was probably supposed to be an intimidation tactic it might have worked on someone a head shorter and didn't know multiple ways to kill a man with his hands alone.

"If you're trying to scare me you're doing a piss-poor job of it." Dante said calmly crossing his arms over his chest.

"You should be," he said pulling out the mace on his belt.

"Why don't you just try and use that thing and maybe I'll just break your arms." Dante said smirking at the thug. Instead of backing down like a smart man the thug charged at Dante. Swinging his mace down Dante caught his wrist then sidestepped dragging him forward with his own momentum. He then brought his right elbow hard into a chink in his armor. As he doubled over Dante used the same arm to uppercut him just before breaking his arm and throwing the thug to the ground. Just then a middle aged woman walked up, with a pretentious look which seemed to be frozen on her face.

"Maul, just what is going on here?" She asked in a condescending tone.

"Maven, this newcomer was just fighting the system here in Riften," he struggled to say with Dante's boot on his throat.

"He seems to be winning." She said matter-of-factually.

"Well you see…" he said before yelping in pain when Dante stepped on his broken arm.

"Oh, sorry about that." Dante said with mock concern.

"Well newcomer, you seem to have won, so why don't you get off my colleague?" She asked him.

"Let me just make good on my promise real quick…" Stepping over Maul to his opposite side he then put one boot on top of his arm and one under his elbow. With little effort Dante snapped his boot up causing a loud cracking sound as Maul's other arm broke and he screamed in pain.

"There!" Dante proclaimed, seeing the woman's confused look he explained, "I told him if he attacked me I'd just break his arms."

"Well now that that's settled could I take my colleague?" She asked with an unconcerned look. Dante flourished a hand at the man on the ground and walked away. The city of Riften was quite large and quite seedy there were prostitutes and skooma dealers propositioning him everywhere, and he heard multiple times of the city being the home of the Thieves Guild. 'Couldn't have picked a more perfect city' Dante thought. Despite its seediness the city held quite the noble quarter full of giant estates that were almost as big as the palace and the market flourished. While passing through the market he was approached by a red headed nord who was taller than average but not as tall as Dante, Dante placed him in his late twenties his build started ringing alarms in his head he was built like Dante muscular but refined like he wasn't going to get bigger or smaller, Dante was still bigger than him though.

"That's quite a bit of coin you carry for having never done an honest day's work in your life, eh lad?" the man said in an odd accent.

"I could ask you the same but my coin was earned honestly unlike yours, thief." Dante said with a smirk identifying him and his trade after such a short spiel.

"Aye lad, you caught me, but what gave me away?" he asked with a smirk of his own.

"Your build and the way you walk mostly but other little things." Dante explained.

"What about how I walk lad?" He asked genuinely curious.

"I wouldn't have heard you if you were used to wearing those clothes." Date told him pointing at his nice clothes.

"My, your sharp as a whip, lad. I sure know how to pick 'em." The thief congratulated himself.

"Any way lad, I have a proposition for you." The man went on to introduce himself as Brynjolf and explained a plot to plant something stolen on someone in the market for a client.

"Well what do you say lad, are you in?" Brynjolf asked.

"…I'll do it." Dante agreed feeling a lot like his old self again.

Brynjolf began his distraction, and Dante wondered if he was still as good at lock picking as he used to be. The second he was at the lockbox it all clicked right back into place and he popped it open in fewer than five seconds. Grabbing the ring he slid right through the crowd unnoticed. He let the ring slide from his hand as he glided past the target; it went right in his pocket. He gave Brynjolf the signal and he quickly wrapped up his distraction about falmer blood-elixir. They met in a nearby alley.

"That was much faster than I expected for someone who claims to have earned his gold honestly." Brynjolf said raising an eyebrow.

"Well I didn't always earn gold honestly." Dante said emotionless knowing full well what was going to happen if he kept following this path as it had already happened once.

"Here's your reward on a job well done. There's more where that came from if you're interested." Brynjolf told him.

"Let me hear it." Dante said. He could feel himself falling back into who he used to be but he didn't have any real reason not to, except…

"And I'll think about it." Dante told him when every logical part of him told him to do it.

"Well I guess that's better than nothing" Brynjolf told himself. He told Dante of the Ratway and how if he made it there he would be guaranteed a position in the Thieves Guild.

"I might but it won't be for a while." Dante said feeling very conflicted at that moment.

"I'll just keep that in my back pocket then and go about my business as usual. Until next we meet lad." Brynjolf said and then walked away. Dante knew he had to get out of this city and he had to get out now. He didn't care how late it was he wasn't going to stay in Riften another second. When Dante got out of the city he felt much better banishing the memories of his past. He started heading toward the tallest mountain in Skyrim. Dante came to have marked plenty of new locations on his map he noticed when he set up camp under one of the orange leafed trees of the Rift. He expected the camp would be covered by the falling leaves by the time he woke up. Looking up at the sky he wondered at the aurora, he had heard of Skyrim's many different ones but to see one was something else. Dante pondered his predicament with being the Dragonborn, he was no great hero and he'd be the first to say proclaim it he'd done far too many things, killed far too many people to be any kind of hero. Closing his eyes Dante ceased his thoughts and drifted into a nightmare.

The next morning sure as he had predicted the spot he had built a fire was covered by leaves and he was covered in them too. Getting up and brushing himself off he headed to Lake Honrich to bathe and follow his routine to keep up on his personal hygiene before traveling on. Dante came upon a village at the foot of the mountain. Upon further investigation Dante came upon that the village's name was Ivarstead. It seemed to get its economy from passing pilgrims on their way to High Hrothgar. Dante only stayed long enough to get a meal and some time to sit down before he headed for the seven thousand steps. Before he could begin he heard a man named Klimmek was about to make the journey to deliver some supplies for the Greybeards, but Dante insisted he'd deliver the supplies which the weary man thanked him for the help. Standing at the Throat of the World Dante looked up at the peak or tried to but the clouds covered the peak. 'This might take a while' Dante thought looking up at the mountain's daunting size. Without wasting any more time Dante began the climb. At first he ran into little resistance a few wolves that left soon after he saw them, uninterested in him. He did however have to kill a large snowy sabre cat. When he reached the colder more windy part of the mountain he donned his hood and cowl to help keep out the biting, cold his thick leather and nordic blood also helped. He came upon a rocky valley like part of the path he looked up toward the peak and could have sworn he saw something fly around.

Before he could continue he heard something moving along on the rocky shelf above him before he had time to react a frost troll dropped down knocking Dante to the ground. It stood practically on top of him as it roared down in his face, it's breath was rank and it's three beady eyes were full of bloodlust and hunger. The frost trolls were bigger and stronger than their brown haired cousins which made them far more dangerous. Dante couldn't reach Rebellion or Ebony & Ivory, and Magic was out of the question at such close proximity. He shoved his thumb, hard, in one of it's eyes causing it to pop and send blood trickling out of its closed eyelids as it reeled back howling in pain and fury. Bending his arms back to put his hands on the ground Dante brought his legs back and propelling himself up with his arms and the momentum of his legs coming back forward he launched himself to his feet. Backing up some he noticed the troll's far superior size being one of the bigger creatures out there aside from giants, mammoths and a few others. Dante drew Rebellion and side stepped the troll's claws and at the same time brought Rebellion around severing it's forearm. Roaring in a rage of agony and fury it brought its other arm across which Dante effortlessly bobbed back dodging the attack. He then ducked as it swept in front of itself again and at the same time ran it through where Dante assumed it's heart was. He must have guessed right as it instantly locked up giving Dante time to remove Rebellion before it crumpled to the ground. Looking at the stark contrast of crimson red on the white snow and fur Dante wondered just how many pilgrims the troll had killed. Flipping his bangs out of his eye Dante decided it didn't really matter and began moving up the mountain again.

At the height Dante was at he could see way out across the Whiterun plains and some of the pine forest. After admiring the view Dante continued on the seven thousand steps. Before Dante knew it he was caught in a blizzard on the mountain. Hoping he wasn't far now Dante pressed on into the storm. Dante could only see about twenty feet ahead in the blazing wind and heavy snow. Pressing on he could see stone steps that were in better repair than the previous ones after only a few more strides Dante was looking up at High Hrothgar. He saw the chest he could only assume was were the supplies were meant to go dropping them in he headed toward the set of doors to the right. Pulling down his snow encrusted hood and cowl Dante walked down the small hallway entering the main chamber where an old man in long flowing robes stood waiting for him.

"Dragonborn you are here." The old monk said with reverence.

"Well you did summon me and I'd like to know more of being Dragonborn." Dante stated plainly.

"Ah, yes in due time but first let us have a taste of your Thu'um, your shout." The old man told Dante as three more old men entered the main chamber wearing the same robes as the previous.

Breathing deeply through his nose Dante released his shout, "_FUS!_" It staggered the old man back but not as far as it did the Whiterun soldiers.

"Masterfully done, it's amazing to see your mastery of a word of power without any training. I'm Arngeir and I speak for the Greybeards." The old man said.

"The others can't speak?" Dante asked confused.

"Oh, they can speak but even a whisper could kill you." Arngeir said with some amusement.

Arngeir went on to explain how the Dragonborn was a man born with the soul of a dragon and how he absorbed a dragon's understanding and power through their souls when they died. The Greybeards then taught him the next word of the shout he'd begun to learn it was _RO_ or balance which focused the power of the shout as well as increased it. The Greybeards then took him out to the courtyard, the blizzard had cleared up and it was around three o'clock in the afternoon. Here they taught him the first word of Whirlwind Sprint; _WULD_ or whirlwind. He prepared to try and use the shout and the second the training gate opened Dante took his chance "_WULD!_" he shouted and in the time it took to blink Dante was through the gate and then some.

"It's amazing how you can master an entirely new shout almost without effort. As the next part of your training you are to retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller the founder of our order." Arngeir explained

"I'll get it" Dante told the old man.

"Remember to stay true to The Way of the Voice and you will prevail." Arngeir said in farewell.

Leaving the monastery Dante headed back to Ivarstead where he told Klimmek that he had delivered the supplies before moving on. Avoiding Riften entirely Dante headed back to Whiterun. He decided he'd spend the night at the inn and keep moving in the morning.

"Will you just give it a rest!" a voice from downstairs said in a heated tone rousing Dante from his dreamless sleep.

"I swear when I have nightmares I wake up to a more peaceful world" Dante said to himself as he got up and equipped.

"You know I like the fiery women" said a rather arrogant voice, not the same that woke Dante up.

"You're a pig you know that" the previous voice said. Heading down stairs Dante came upon the scene of an angry imperial woman standing with balled fists in front of a skinny nord, the bard of the inn.

"Look why don't you two just get a room and deal with your relationship problems in private?" Dante said sarcastically.

"Oh, we are in no relationship" the woman said glaring at Dante.

"Yet" the bard said smirking.

"Look if he's swooning over you why is that so bad, I thought woman loved that?" Dante asked in a very careless tone.

"He's not swooning he was just bragging about how he'll conquer me as a true nord conquers any harsh beast" She said pointing an accusatory finger at the bard.

"Alright I see your point." Dante said annoyed by the bard's disrespect of a woman.

"It's not bragging if it's the truth" the skinny nord said in an arrogant tone.

"Look she wants you to leave her alone so back off." Dante said stepping up to him; he stood much taller than the shorter nord. The bard didn't back down.

"What will you do if I don't" the bard said trying to look big and tough in front of the man twice his size.

In the blink of an eye the bard was pinned against the wall with Ivory at his throat, the brilliant nearly white blade stood out in sharp contrast to the bit of blood that began to run down it's razor sharp surface. Dante's eyes though, never lost their calm collected countenance.

"I'll cut out your annoying tongue before cutting off your most valuable asset" Dante told him in an icy tone before kneeing the bard hard in his manhood. At this Dante turned to face the imperial woman.

"I'm sure he won't bother you anymore and if he does tell me and I'll be back to make good on my promise." Dante told her.

"Thank you, it'll be nice to be able to come here without him hounding me" She held out her hand, "I'm Carlotta Valentia"

"Well I was glad to put him in his place" Dante said shaking her hand. He then left the inn and Whiterun, moving toward Ustengrav, the final resting place of the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.

During the journey Dante did some exploring and discovered many of the locations of the Whiterun plains. He marked them on his map before he'd move on knowing he would return to see what he could discover. There was a necromancer outside plying his trade on the dead bandits outside Ustengrav. Dante picked them off from a distance with Aquila. It took no time to find his way through the first part of the tomb he heard the necromancer speaking it turned out they were using the dead bandits to dig out the tomb. Killing all that he found, Dante made his way deeper into the tomb. He came upon a huge central chasm it was breathtaking in an odd way the way sunlight found it's way in through openings high above, the way nature seemed to find it's way underground with even pine trees growing. It all held some odd ethereal feeling. Moving down the path to where a few skeletons were keeping vigil over the long forgotten ruins. Dante climbed on a collapsed pillar that took him above the area of the tomb where the skeletons were. He took in the scene, 'quite a few of those skeletons are moving and some are still dead but don't look to have been in there current resting place long, they'll wake if I disturb there field of senses.' Dante thought. Deciding that it best he aimed for the head, it seemed to work on the other undead he'd fought, Dante brought Aquila up took aim and fired. The arrow slammed into its target breaking the skull from the rest of it's body which fell apart as the ancient magic departed it's host. He followed suit on the rest of the skeletons he could shoot down and moved in with Rebellion to kill the rest.

Before he moved on Dante saw what looked like another word wall at the bottom of the chasm next to a waterfall. Moving down the chasm Dante could hear the dragon language in his head, it startled him because the voice was powerful and deep, not human. As he stood before the wall he heard the word in his mind and this time he understood not only what the word said but what it meant as a word of power. "_FEIM_" after using the shout he felt odd, lighter, almost as though he no longer existed but that he always did. Looking down at himself, he was light blue and transparent he reached out to touch the wall but his hand went right through it. Dante walked back up the incline, the effect of the shout wearing off along the way, and started to cross the walkway across the chasm to the opposite end. There, the area had some Draugr and skeletons but that's not what stopped Dante in his tracks. There were three stones, each covered in odd carvings and they would begin to glow which opened a series of gates when he approached but after a short period would drop back down. Even at a full sprint Dante couldn't make it in time.

"I need to come at this from a different angle," he said thinking out loud, "Wait…" Just then he thought of what Arngeir said about The Way of the Voice.

"I wonder…" Dante said a thought striking him.

Taking a running start Dante ran past the three stones causing them to light up and the gates to open. "_WULD!_" Dante shouted launching through the gates. After his plan worked Dante kept moving killing many of the Draugr until he came upon a room lined with pressure plates deciding to test the trap with a dead Draugr, Dante dropped the ancient corpse to the pressure plates below. Flames sprang up from the floor igniting the corpse. Deciding to use his Whirlwind Sprint he flew onto some rubble across the room from him he kept that up till he reached the end of the room where some frostbite spiders tried their luck at killing Dante. After killing the pests Dante moved on finding himself in a room with a thin path through some water leading to what looked like the stand for where the horn should be but there was a problem. "Damn it…" Dante said crossing and as he did so giant nordic statues began rising from the water. "What a grand entrance for an anti-climactic ending" Dante said with sarcasm, Noticing a note he walked over "Better not be an I.O.U." Dante grumbled reading the note which gave him instructions to go to the Sleeping Giant Inn back in Riverwood. Deciding to investigate some before going he checked the dead Draugr. 'The cuts are made at an angle implying whoever killed them was quite shorter than the ancient nords' Dante thought 'they also knew how to fight the way the dust is disturbed they have good footwork, but could improve.' 'Well I guess I'll just have to be more cautious when I get to the inn.' Dante thought standing back up to his full height.

Leaving the tomb it was already night but he decided to at least get to the plains before setting up camp. The plains were quiet all Dante could hear was the chirping of crickets. He did enjoy the cold but the plains held a rather pleasant mild temperature. The quiet though didn't make Dante complacent he knew a fire out here could be seen for miles. Settling down in his bedroll he fell asleep soon after. He awoke to the sound of marching and armor scraping on itself. Quickly packing up camp he quietly headed to the sound. What he saw surprised him, there were close to two hundred Imperial soldiers. Dante decided to move ahead of them to see what they were marching towards. He found close to a hundred Stormcloaks, he assumed by the banners they carried. Before he could get out of dodge he saw the Imperials crest the hill the flag of the Empire flapping proudly in the breeze. And then it was like the gates of Oblivion opened the clear blue sky became clouded by a rain of arrows they rained down on the Imperials killing many of their lightly armored soldiers, but the heavily armored ones seemed completely unaffected having raised their heavy steel shields over their heads to protect them. The Stormcloaks charged forward towards the Imperials wall of steel and muscle where they collided, a river of blue turned red against the "rocks" of steel. Before he could get caught up in the current of the battle he got moving, hoping not to take an arrow anywhere.

He moved up the road into Riverwood and headed straight for the inn. Once inside he asked the man behind the counter about renting a room he said to talk to Delphine as she's the innkeeper and handles rooms. The middle aged Breton was nearly a foot shorter than Dante but her voice, he recognized it he just couldn't place where he remembered it from.

"I'd like to rent the attic room" he told the short woman having to look down a good deal to look her in the eye.

"Attic room, eh? Well we don't have an attic room so you'll just have to settle for that room over there" She said pointing to one of the rooms near the door. Paying her the money he headed toward the room rather annoyed that he had been lied to by the one who left the note. He closed the door to his room and sat down heavily on the bed. Just then the innkeeper came in closing the door behind her.

"What have you never heard of knocking?" Dante asked sarcastically.

"So you're the Dragonborn I've heard about." Delphine said ignoring his comment.

"Yeah I am, now unless you want to meet my friend on my hip here you'll give me the horn you stole." Dante told her putting his hand on Rebellion's hilt.

"Whoa okay it's in my room follow me and I'll take you to it." Delphine said putting up a hand to stop him from drawing on her.

"Fine, lead the way" Dante said letting his hand drop back down.

Nodding Delphine led Dante through the inn to her room where she closed the door behind them. Walking over to the wardrobe she opened it and before Dante could question why she opened an empty wardrobe she pushed out the false back sliding it into the wall and leading him down the stairs. The room had weapons lining the walls and not only an enchantment table but an alchemy lab as well. 'Paranoid' was the first thought in Dante's mind.

"Well here's the horn" she said turning from a chest against the wall and holding out the ancient horn. Taking the horn and without another word Dante turned around and began leaving but before he reached the stairs he felt a hand grab his arm roughly.

Turning to look down at the small Breton woman he lowered his head and in a deadly tone said "Don't ever touch me like that again or you'll be dead before you can even flex a muscle"

"Don't try to scare me or **I'LL** make you regret the day you were born, Dragonborn or not." She said with an angry scowl but before she could even blink Dante Broke her arm and thrown her to the ground and was stepping on your throat.

"You have five seconds to explain yourself before I show you what your guts look like." Dante said drawing Rebellion.

"Get off me or I'll do much more than break your arm." Delphine hissed in a venomous tone.

Before she could make another move Dante replaced Rebellion with Ebony & Ivory. He then shoved the twins through her hands eliciting a cry of pain and pinning them to the floor. He then removed his boot from her throat.

"Now tell me what you wanted or I'll start cutting off fingers." Dante said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine" Delphine let out in a pained breath.

She then went on to explain how the dragons weren't gone somewhere they were dead and that she was from the group that helped do it and that wanted to see the Dragonborn reach his full power as well as how the Dragonstone from Bleak Falls Barrow was actually a map of dragon burial sites.

"If the pattern holds," Delphine explained from her position on the floor "the next dragon to rise will be near Kynesgrove."

"When?" Dante asked with a hand on his smooth chin.

"Maybe less than a week." She said in a pained voice.

"Then I'll be back in a few days." Dante said bending down and yanking Ebony & Ivory from her hands and the floor.

Before anything else could be said or done, Dante made his way out of the inn and back towards High Hrothgar. By the time he made it back there wasn't much time till dawn of the next day.

"Dragonborn you've returned do you have the horn?" Arngeir asked him in his usual calm voice.

"Of course I do why would I come back without it?" Dante asked rhetorically.

"Well then we shall grant you the final word of Unrelenting Force before we greet you as Dragonborn." Arngeir explained to Dante.

They taught him the final word of Unrelenting Force, _DAH_ or push. After they taught him this they formed a circle around him.

"What are you doing?" Dante asked looking around cautiously.

"We are now going to greet you as the Dragonborn we will release the full power of our voice upon you greeting you in the dragon tongue." Arngeir explained resting a hand on Dante's shoulder before returning to the circle.

It then began their voices sounding like thunder and shaking the entire mountain and no doubt the world. "_Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok_." This is what they said to him but he understood it all and it meant 'Long has the Storm Crown languished with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it.' He had stumbled and staggered the whole time the shaking of the world nearly throwing him to the ground.

"You have done it, you have heard the true voice of the Greybeards and came out unscathed." Arngeir said with a proud smile on his face.

"Thank you, but I ask if there is some way to learn more words of power." Dante asked of the old monk.

"We could teach you but you have already learned much from us you should learn them on your own." Arngeir told him.

"Well if that's what you believe to be best." Dante said disappointed.

"This does not mean we will leave you with no help If you come to me I will tell you of many different places that contain the words of power." Arngeir said

He then told Dante were he could find the next words of Whirlwind Sprint. Thanking him Dante began heading to the locations but he stopped in Whiterun deciding he better get to know the city. When there he found out about the Gildergreen and agreed to help repair it. After this and accepting to help a man named Amren retrieve his family sword, Dante headed to Jorrvaskr to get another job many hailed him as the Dragonborn and tried getting a toast in his honor but he refused and left with the job before anything else could be brought up. He left the city already fed up with it and decided he'd camp outside again. In the morning Dante took a bath in the river and took care of his other personal hygiene tasks like shaving and cleaning his teeth. Dante had woken up early enough to even get his morning exercises in to keep at peak condition.

The next days would be busy. So, he decided to get a head start on his tasks. Dante was getting used to Skyrim and had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving for quite some time.

**Author Notes: Well things are picking up some pace now. Why he already knows the word of Become Ethereal is because I always thought it was so stupid that a dragon's entire soul and understanding was used on one word when they know all of them. Anyway until next time…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Notes: Well guys and gals it's time for chapter 4. To the guest who asked a question of the vision in a review, yes it is. If you don't want any spoilers don't read the review but it isn't that big a deal I kind of expected you all to figure it out. Also side note, in this story the nords do not have butt chins, I really hate those.**

**Chapter 4**

"**Harbinger Part 1"**

Five days had passed and Dante had accomplished a good amount, he had learned the rest of Whirlwind Sprint, found Amren's family sword, fixed the Gildergreen which he had to kill spriggans and a pilgrim who tried to stop him from getting the sap from the Eldergleam, he had finished a few more jobs for the Companions, and explored some of the areas including some ancient nord tombs where he learned more words of power. Dante decided to head back to Delphine and see if it was time to check out Kynesgrove. Back in Delphine's secret room Dante noticed there was a sheathed sword and a bow with what looked to be steel arrows sitting on the chest against the wall.

"You're back. Good. The pattern will be repeating today I was just getting ready to leave with or without you." Delphine commented.

"Well it's a good thing I showed up, that dragon would have killed you before you could blink." Dante stated.

"If you could kill a dragon I'm sure I could do it." Delphine said arrogantly.

"The one that attacked the watchtower killed 63 men and destroyed the tower and if I hadn't been there it would have killed all of the men before it burned Whiterun to the ground and killed everyone living there." Dante said lowering his face towards her, genuinely annoyed by her arrogance in the face of a creature that nearly killed him and had killed a small army while it was just warming up.

"Was it truly that powerful?" Delphine asked actually showing some fear.

"Yes, and I would rather not fight one again but if I have to I will." Dante said honestly.

"Well it's the only way to confirm that you're Dragonborn, so you're going to have to kill another." Delphine said looking almost sympathetic. She then told him she would change into her traveling gear and they would leave. It didn't take long to get to Kynesgrove and Dante got to mark more locations on his map. As they arrived the morning sky was overcast and there was what looked like a tornado high on the hill. A random woman with a group of others sprinted by screaming about a dragon doing something on the hill.

"Well I hope your ready this won't be easy." Dante said looking at Delphine.

"I wish I could say I was but I don't think it really matters it's too late to back out now." She said looking up mesmerized by the vortex on the hill.

Sprinting up the hill he found the burial mound but was stopped dead in his tracks by the jet black dragon hovering above speaking the dragon's tongue. It was the same one that destroyed Helgen. Before Dante could process what was happening he heard what he knew was a name and then the burial mound burst open and the skeleton of a dragon came crawling out. Some magic began returning the flesh, skin, and scales to the ancient bones. The resurrected dragon greeted the black dragon and the black dragon seemed to address Dante. It spoke the dragon tongue before speaking in the common tongue.

"You don't even understand what we are saying do you, such arrogance to dare take for yourself, the name of dovah." It said in a booming, powerful voice before flying off leaving his friend to kill Dante.

The dragon took the offensive and tried to attack him but Dante dodged, barely. Suddenly Delphine came running up to it screaming that it would die. The dragon seemed bored and unimpressed as he swept Delphine with one of its massive arms sending her sailing through the air and plummeting to the ground where she got impaled by a rock. 'Well that's just perfect' Dante thought. The dragon then came swinging at him with its tail Dante just managed to duck in time. His small triumph was short lived as the dragon swept him to the sky hurtling Dante back almost throwing him down the hill. Pushing himself up he looked up to see the dragon open its mouth to breath fire, Dante rolled behind a rock just in time as the rock was torched, the flames were so hot they made the rock scalding to touch even through his leather gloves. Trying to come up with a stupid plan like last time Dante was interrupted as the dragon punched the rock shattering it and actually sending Dante down the hill this time. The fight to remain conscious was not one Dante was expecting to win. Amazingly he pushed himself up and shockingly he managed to make his way up the hill. The dragon was about to leave when it noticed him approaching. Before it could make a move Dante cast out a powerful Thunderbolt which certainly got its attention and broke away some scales. Dante pulled out Aquila and nocked an arrow he drew the string to his cheek and fired it met its mark in the missing scales on the dragon. This made it angry and it charged at Dante, head forward like a battering ram. The best Dante could manage was to avoid its horns and just take its skull on. Dante sailed back into a rock he could hear bones snapping and how his armor remained undamaged aside from some dirt he was clueless. He tried to get up but he could barely move let alone fight. Lying on the ground Dante pondered if he was ready to die as the possibility was very real. He didn't want to but as the dragon picked him up he couldn't really debate it.

The dragon lifted Dante up to one of its eyes but before it could do anything further Dante released his Thu'um, "_FUS-RO-DAH!_" The shout was louder and more powerful than a crack of thunder and caused the dragons head to snap back and its eye to explode. It dropped Dante as it roared in agony. Dante took his chance and ignoring the excruciating pain rushed toward the dragon drawing Rebellion. He launched himself up towards its chest and shoved Rebellion in the softer thinner scales of its underside. He and Rebellion fell down from its chest as it ran in a circle no doubt to shake him off. Rolling over to get up the dragon may have had one eye but it didn't seem to hinder it. The dragon breathed flames at Dante who didn't have time to get away so he cast the most powerful ward he could muster even dropping Rebellion to use both hands to increase it's power. The ward was crude but effective and did protect him from the dragon's fire. Picking Rebellion back up Dante came sprinting towards the dragon. He swung Rebellion with every bit of strength he could muster as he spun around its bite and slashed into its neck, with the strength he put behind the blow it slashed its throat open and before the dragon could do anything else it began to suffocate. The dragon collapsed dead at Dante's feet; how Dante remained on them he couldn't explain. He turned to see Delphine slack-jawed staring at him in the middle of trying to push herself from the rock through her abdomen. He could hear the crackling of the dragon's skin flaking off and could feel himself being filled with energy as he absorbed the dragon's soul.

No longer ready to pass out from exhaustion Dante helped pull Delphine from the rock and began healing her wound as she lay on the ground trying to catch her breath. He knew he wasn't bleeding but he did know he had broken a quite a few bones. When he finished healing her he carefully sat back making sure not to disturb his broken bones.

"Where did that black dragon come from?" Delphine asked.

"I've seen it before it was the same that destroyed Helgen." Dante told her.

"Truly?" Delphine asked. Dante just nodded.

"Alright you've certainly earned the right to know anything you want to know." Delphine said while lying on the ground.

"Who are you?" Dante asked laying his head against the rock.

"I'm part of a group called the Blades. Have you heard of them?" She asked

"Not much only that they protected the emperor before the Great War." Dante told her.

"Well you know far more than many people do. Most don't even remember our name." Delphine said.

"Well I'm no emperor so what exactly do you want with me?" Dante asked closing his eyes.

"The Blades didn't always protect the emperor; they originally were formed to aid the Dragonborn and help hunt the dragons." Delphine explained.

"That's why you're looking for me." Dante said more to himself.

"So, what's next?" Dante asked looking down at Delphine.

"We need to find out how that black dragon is raising the others and who brought him back." Delphine said.

"How do we do that?" Dante asked.

"I'd have to say the Thalmor are our best bet they're always looking for more power and if they're not responsible then they'll be looking for the same thing we are." She explained.

"I would like to say your being paranoid since they killed the other blades, but the Dominion does have a way of finding things out." Dante agreed with her.

"Alright we're in agreement then." Delphine stated.

"So, how do we find out what they know?" Dante asked.

"Well the Thalmor are going to be hosting a huge ball at their embassy where they'll make nice with all the Jarls still loyal to the Empire and important people of Skyrim and the Empire." Delphine explained.

"So I'm going party crashing?" Dante asked with a chuckle.

"Not exactly, we'll figure out a plan when the ball is near." Delphine said.

"And when is that?" Dante asked.

"In more than a month." Delphine said in a quiet tone.

"A month?" Dante asked raising an eyebrow.

"By then that black bastard could raise every dragon in Tamriel." Dante said.

"I know, but we don't have much of a choice." Delphine said sounding defeated.

"Well, the dragons were killed off once right, if they cause trouble we'll just kill them again." Dante said trying to show confidence when he himself wasn't sure his own words were even possible.

"Let's just get to that point and we'll see what happens." Delphine said sounding very tired.

From here they said farewell, Dante headed to Whiterun and straight to Jorrvaskr. Farkas greeted him on his return.

"Just so you know Skjor is looking for you." Farkas said after his greeting.

"Why?" Dante asked.

"Don't know just said he needed to talk to you." The large man said.

Confused Dante went off looking for him. He found him out back sitting at one of the tables.

"Ah, there you are." Skjor said skipping any pleasantries.

"Farkas said you were looking for me" Dante said.

"I was, it would seem that your time has come." Skjor told him.

"Meaning?" Dante said folding his arms over his chest.

"A man came to us speaking of a shard of Wuuthrad and where it can be found. He seemed a fool to me but if he's right then we must find it. Farkas will be your Shield-Sibling on this venture. If you succeed you may be hailed as a full member." Skjor explained.

"Alright fine I'll get your shard." Dante said as he walked away. Before he could get to Farkas Aela intercepted him.

"So, Dragonborn where have you been?" She asked him standing in front of him.

"I've been busy." He said plainly

"With what killing dragons cause you haven't been doing jobs for us." She said placing her hands on her hips and leaning toward him waiting for an answer.

"Actually yes, I just came from killing it and if you didn't notice the Gildergreen is back to life I also did that." Dante said leaning in slightly.

"Well, I hear you're on your way to find a fragment of Wuuthrad to show you're worthy to be one of us." Aela said.

"Yes I am, me and Farkas will be back before the day is out." Dante told Aela.

"We'll see…" Aela said with a smirk

**A Few Days Later**

**Somewhere deep in a mountain of The Pale:** She hadn't had this dream before in all the time she had been asleep, which was quite long she assumed. In it she saw a human man with his black hair cut in an odd fashion, the sides of his head were shaved but no higher, the back was long enough to reach his shoulders and his bangs were swept to the right and were long enough to reach the corner of his mouth, partially covering his eye and he was clean shaven. He had a small silver ring in the bottom left of his lip, and two more on the lobe of his left ear. He was wearing eyeliner and eye shadow but it suited him, oddly enough. He was very attractive every bit of his face from his cheekbones to his jawline it was all perfectly proportioned. His eyes though are what she liked most they were a beautiful blue and almost seemed to glow. He stood in front of her in his tight clothing and armor with a sword and other weapons she couldn't remember; even though he was human he showed no fear in facing her. And the last thing that happened, she sank her fangs into his neck.

'I wonder what Skjor wants this time…' Dante thought as he walked down stairs to meet him in his quarters. In the past few days Dante had been doing jobs for the Companions after he returned from Dustman's Cairn with the shard of Wuuthrad and the first word of power in the Fire Breath shout He assumed anyway considering Dante 's mind pictured fire and when he used it he breathed fire. He had also taken some time to explore more and did something with one of the Jarl's sons that led to gaining the Ebony Blade of Mephala the Daedric prince of Lies, Secrets, and Plots and becoming her champion, not really Dante's choice but there wasn't much of a point in fighting it. He had left the blade in his house in Whiterun for now. But right now Dante entered Skjor's quarters.

"Ah, you're here, finally." Skjor says standing from sitting at the edge of his bed.

"What is it you need me for?" Dante asked

"You're a very strong warrior maybe the strongest the Companions has seen and well, I need you to meet me at the Underforge tonight at midnight." Skjor told Dante.

"Underforge?" Dante had asked confused.

"Ah, that's right you aren't of the circle so you wouldn't know where that is. Well its simple it's just under the Skyforge where Eorlund works. I'll meet you outside, don't be late." Skjor then dismissed him. Dante waited till then.

Walking out the back door he saw Skjor standing at the rocks that the Skyforge sat on.

"You're here, are you prepared to join us in The Circle?" Skjor asked looking Dante in the eye.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, since when was this decided?" Dante asked.

"That doesn't matter only that you were." Skjor said plainly. Dante thought about it he wasn't so sure, it seemed odd to meet at midnight in a secret location just for a promotion. Then again Dante had seen far stranger things like an "old" orc who wanted to die a good death… Dante had obliged but he played down his skill to make the orc feel better about the fight before he easily ran him through after he had felt the battle was long enough. Dante figured there couldn't be any harm in joining The Circle.

"Alright I'm ready what do you need me to do?" Dante asked Skjor.

"Follow me." He told him. Skjor then turned opening some hidden door in the rocks. Following him in Dante heard the long howling of a wolf. Dante could guess why. There standing behind a large ceremonial stone bowl was a werewolf. He had seen Farkas wolf out in Dustman's Cairn so he knew the secret of The Circle's beastblood. This one wasn't as big as Farkas was and it seemed almost…feminine.

"I would hope that you can still recognize Aela even in this form." Skjor said walking over and standing by her.

"Kodlak thinks that this blood is a curse cast upon the old companions. But we haven't been cursed we've been blessed, how could something that creates this kind of prowess be a curse?" Skjor explained.

"To join The Circle you must share in the beastblood that we all share." Skjor told Dante. Dante had to think about this not sure whether it would be worth it. But he got the impression this wasn't a request anymore.

"Alright, I'm ready then, what do you need me to do?" Dante agreed. In response Skjor brought Aela's arm over the ceremonial bowl and cut open her wrist. Blood poured into the bowl filling the bottom before the wound sealed itself. Dante stood looking down into the blood and could have sworn he saw a familiar red eyed woman in the reflection but it was fleeting, the second he blinked he just saw his own reflection.

"Drink." Skjor said gesturing to the bowl and holding out an ancient looking chalice with a wolf relief. 'Of course I have to drink it…" Dante thought as he took the chalice and stood in front of the bowl. He scooped up a full chalice. "Bottoms up." He said before gulping it down. The blood was thick but didn't hold the same coppery taste blood usually had it was bitter, tainted and he knew that he shouldn't have agreed, but he couldn't back out now, he finished off the chalice and then blinding agony wracked his body, he dropped to his knees as he felt bones popping and realigning or growing longer and larger. His weapons and armor just seemed to disappear as coarse black fur began to engulf him and he felt his muscles swelling in size and his jaw elongating and his teeth growing as well, he felt a primal need to hunt, to kill, he could feel his mind slipping. That's when he felt other arms grab him and try to pin him to the wall and hold him from fulfilling his desires, but they were pitifully weak and he hurled them at the other wall. Dante had finished his transformation and he felt ravenous, he wanted blood, he wanted to hunt. He burst out of the Underforge with blinding speed sprinting on all fours he felt free the full moons filled him with strength. Despite the darkness he could see perfectly as if it were high noon again. Dante saw his prey two weak humans a man and a woman young probably just starting to reach adulthood walking home hand in hand. That certainly didn't matter their blood and hearts would be his, young or old. Dante rushed at them with lightning speed and grabbed the man his entire hand wrapping around his head like it was a small child's dolls. He barely had to squeeze before he crushed his skull and blood and brain poured from his hand. He dropped the man to the ground and tore his ribcage and chest open like the bones were twigs. Dante was down on all fours tearing flesh off the mangled corpse and devouring its heart when the shrill screams of absolute terror reached his extremely sensitive ears. He looked up at the petrified girl's terrified expression with blood dripping from his jaws between his teeth as he snarled at her. She tried to turn and run finally but she was no match for Dante's speed. He jumped at her back pinning her down from behind before flipping her to look into her horrified eyes blood and slobber dripping on her face as he growled into it. He then stuffed his jaw into her neck and began tearing out her throat mercilessly, blood sprayed on his snout and on his massive chest. She flopped around for a few seconds before merciful death claimed her as Dante set into eating her heart as well. He heard a multitude of running footsteps; he turned from his kill still on all fours. He saw city guard running to the scene and then they blanched all color draining from their faces that weren't shrouded in a helmet. Instantly many turned and bolted screaming hysterically about a werewolf. There were some who had frozen absolutely still, petrified to see such a beast of legends in their midst and seeing first hand why they instill terror in all who have heard the legends. Dante stood back up to his new towering height and then charged at the guards head on. Some raised their shields in a pathetic attempt to hold off the massive beast that was barreling at them. Dante grabbed one around the face and hurled him into a wall headfirst his skull caved in and blood poured out of the dead man. He then swept one across the face with his razor sharp claws tearing it clean off his skull and breaking his neck as it did a full 180. He then tore the arms from another and picked up the next around his shoulders with one hand and his waist the other, Dante gave a ferocious roar as he tore the man in half. He let out a long howl before leaving Whiterun by climbing the walls.

Dante woke up somewhere in the wilderness as himself he could feel the weight of his weapons and armor again. Sitting up he saw Aela standing before him.

"Well you're alive, so I guess that means congratulations are in order." She said unusually peppy.

"What happened?" Dante asked before getting to his feet.

"You have joined the circle and have the beastblood running through your veins." She answered

"I'm a werewolf then?" He asked

"Yes you gave us far more trouble than even Farkas did at his first turning." Aela said chuckling a little.

"What makes you say that?" Dante asked.

"Well Farkas got out, but he didn't kill anyone just charged off into the wilderness" Aela said getting a dark look. "You on the other hand slaughtered a young couple and multiple guards before escaping the city."

Dante's anger flared at this a rare occurrence. He grabbed Aela by the throat and lifted her clear of the ground. "You turned me into a beast and then allowed me to slaughter innocence?" He asked in a chillingly deadly tone as he squeezed her throat.

"You aren't a beast you're a proud creature far stronger than meager people, you've been blessed." Aela strained to say.

"This is a curse; you and Skjor are animals to believe this a gift." Dante hissed venomously.

"You're the one who killed them not us!" Aela yelled.

"You're right but I don't feel remorse I wasn't myself and I've killed far more through my own free will. I'm angry because you forced this on me allowed me to kill them and you cast aside the lives of those I killed because of you." Dante explained before throwing her to the ground, hard.

"You chose to join the Circle!" Aela yelled after some time recovering.

"I thought you two could control what would happen and I didn't want to it just seemed as though I had to." Dante said looking up at the fort he had been brought to.

"Why did you bring me here?" Dante asked

"It was meant to be a celebration for your new gift. Inside of that fort is a group of werewolf hunters called the Silver Hand I think you've met." Aela said getting up from the ground.

"Hmmph, of course you two would want more bloodshed and killing, you two are sick." Dante said losing any respect he had for the two.

"Skjor is already inside so you can hold off your judgment for when we clear the place so Skjor isn't alone to be killed." Aela said.

"Fine, but don't expect my help any more, dog." Dante said with distaste. They headed up to the fort Dante killed all the men outside with Aquila before they could turn to face Aela's charge, they never saw where he was. He headed inside ignoring Aela's attempts at conversation. Entering the fort they were greeted by severed werewolf heads. Dante led the way killing most of the hunters with Rebellion. As they reached the final room Aela warned that the leader was formidable having earned his nickname "the Skinner". Dante kicked in the door to find multiple Silver Hand and who he assumed was the Skinner by the werewolf hide on the shoulder plate of his armor. Dante cast an arcing lightning spell which fried two of the five in the room including the Skinner. Dante then dodge a slash from the Skinner's elven Greatsword. The man showed skill with his hands but he had poor footwork as he stumbled after his missed blow. Dante waited and the man tried slashing but Dante blocked he didn't even feel as though he needed to try hard to reflect the man's blow with his new strength. 'Huh, at least it's good for something' Dante thought as he blocked another blow. And then the Skinner took the bait Dante had left and tried a charging stab. Dante slid under the blade and right into the Skinners legs. The man's face met the floor with a thud that shook the floor. Dante slowly strolled around to the man's front and placed a boot on his sword.

"You aren't very formidable; those werewolves must have been taken off guard for you to have killed them." Dante mocked before severing the man's head. He looked up to see Aela having finished her two off and staring up at something on the wall she had tears in her eyes. Dante came up to her and then saw what had her so upset. Pinned to the wall with iron stakes was Skjor's corpse. He was stark naked, and his entire torso had been skinned. Blood had formed a small lake at the floor under him and the wall had been painted with very thick streaks of it. Aela had begun softly sobbing. Dante didn't know what to do to see such a strong woman crying as she was he couldn't hold the anger he felt towards her, animals didn't cry when another died. He did realize that wolves did when members of their pack died. He did see how she viewed the beastblood, now seeing her like she was. Dante couldn't help but regret his outburst; Aela no doubt thought he hated her. Dante steeled himself, he didn't think of the blood any differently, and he didn't think that wanting so much bloodshed with no real reason was now human it was still barbaric, animalistic. He would help Aela take vengeance for Skjor but afterwards he will not help her anymore.

"They deserve to die…" Aela said heatedly as if on cue. She faced him with fiery green eyes.

"Alright what do you want me to do?" Dante asked looking her in the eye, there were tears but fury as well in them.

"There's another group of Silver Hand at Fort Fellhammer, you can go slaughter them and then bring me their plans." She said angrily.

"It will be done." Dante said plainly. And it was Dante left and went straight there. Once there he had used the deteriorating back wall to sneak in before slaughtering them all including their leader. He took the plans and was back to Whiterun and Jorrvaskr before noon. Delivering them to Aela he noticed the hall was quiet everyone had their heads bowed at the death of Skjor.

"Here are the plans." Dante said holding out the journal.

"Excellent, now we'll know what they're planning for us." Aela said with angry determination.

"The old man wants to see you by the way so I'll run interference while you go kill the-"

"Whoa, whoa, I'm not killing anymore for you, Skjor has already been avenged there is no reason to go seeking more blood that's what got him killed in the first place, you're damn animalistic hunting of them, if anything they avenged their own and the field was even, the only reason I wiped out that fort was to maybe help you through this and to keep up the appearance for the others. As I'm sure if they had known of your little "excursions" they would not call for vengeance. Especially not Kodlak." Dante told her no longer wanting anything to do with that business.

"Fine I'll do it myself and I will kill them all without you milk drinkers!" Aela said storming off and drawing the attention of the others.

"We're not milk drinkers, you're just a damn fool drunk on blood and I won't mourn you if this gets you killed." Dante called after her. Dante turned and went down to see Kodlak. The old warrior was sitting in his usual chair.

"Ah, you're here have a seat." Kodlak said gesturing to the chair next to him. Dante sat down.

"So, what did Aela have you doing?" He asked still sharp despite his age.

"Well after she and Skjor had me turned into a werewolf to join the Circle I-"

"They did what!?" Kodlak asked leaning towards him with fire in his eyes.

"Skjor wanted me to meet him at midnight last night in the Underforge. He then said that I should be a member of the Circle but that I had to become a werewolf to join your ranks."

"Why would you accept?" Kodlak asked looking like a volcano about to erupt.

"I got the feeling that I would conveniently be kicked out for being dishonorable if I told them no well that or Aela would try to tear me apart in her werewolf form." Dante said being honest with him.

"Why would they do this…" Kodlak trailed off.

"They've been going and hunting the Silver Hand in there wolf forms like they were beasts, and I believe they're no better." Dante told him not caring of what Aela would do.

"WHAT!?" Kodlak said livid as he jumped up to his feet.

"So, they're to blame for what happened to you all at Gallows Rock… Then Skjor was the architect of his own doom and he now cast this damnable curse on you as well. I will not stand for this. No amount of honor he had gained while he was here equals the dishonor he now has, his name shall be cast out of Jorrvaskr and Aela will no longer be a member of the Circle. I'm only showing her mercy because she has years left to earn back my trust and her honor." Kodlak said pacing furiously before finally taking a calming breath and returning to his seat.

"I'm sorry this has been cast upon you, but I'm grateful that you tried to help your Shield-sister." Kodlak said

"Is there a cure?" Dante asked.

"Possibly, I've been working on finding out if there is for years now. I think I may be on to something, but I need a bit more time to confirm it." Kodlak explained.

"Is there any way I can help?" Dante asked more than willing.

"Not now, but soon you will why don't you come back in a few days." Kodlak suggested.

**Author Notes: Well there we go a bit more foreshadowing at least Dante will eventually look like that but not for a little while and only after something… Drastic. Anyway until newt time…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"**Harbinger Part 2"**

The past few days Dante decided to spend the time exploring he traversed into the pine forest and checked out a few tombs, he'd even found the second word of Fire Breath. But the big thing was that he helped a werewolf out who was trapped in the Falkreath Dungeon. The man apparently had no control of his power and had slaughtered a little girl whose parents are who told Dante of the man. Apparently he had stolen the Ring of Hircine in an attempt to control his power but Hircine had placed a curse upon it. He had asked Dante to hunt a great creature the White Stag… Dante had not wanted to kill the majestic creature, but it was that or him at that point as the ring had been placed on him and he couldn't remove it. It all ended with Dante and the man, Sinding being hunted by Hircine's hunters. The Blood Moon that shown was… beautiful, Dante thought it was anyway. Hircine had wanted Dante to kill Sinding but Dante refused and allowed him to live defying the Daedric Prince of the Hunt and Father of Manbeasts. But the Prince did not punish but praised Dante for turning the hunt inside out and honored him as his Champion, gifting him the ring which he had then lifted the curse from.

Back in Jorrvaskr Dante received mixed looks some were thankful praise from Farkas and Vilkas while others Specifically Aela gave him the most murderous glares.

"You will fight me." Aela challenged Dante with barely controlled rage. Dante wasn't surprised at all by this and had actually expected it and he was sick of her.

"If you wish me breaking you and your pride I won't stop you, even if you are a woman I promise you that…" Dante told her warning her of what would happen. Aela responded by charging right at him and trying to tackle him, he dug his boots in and did not break his stance. He drove his knee as hard as he could into her solar plexus and she collapsed to the ground sputtering and coughing unable to catch her breath. Dante didn't let up circling her like a predator. He gave her a very sharp kick in the ribs and there was a loud snap as some ribs broke from the steel toe of his boot and the muscle he put behind it. Aela rolled to her side still trying to catch her breath. She managed to get to her knees by wrapping an arm around one of Dante's legs. She then punched him in the stomach it wasn't very hard and he absorbed most of the blow. He then grabbed her by the leather covering her torso and hauled her to her feet. He reined down a few hard rights into her face before head butting her hard on the nose breaking it. She fell back on the ground but he didn't let up he kicked her in the other side breaking more ribs. He then continued his predatory circling when she tried to crawl forward he stomped down on her fore arm snapping it at an odd angle. She cried out in pain and clutched it to her chest. Dante then brought her up intending to make good on his promise, he had broken her, now he would break her pride. He drew Ivory and sliced clean through the leather holding her armor to her. Dante then kicked her now naked form to the Jorrvaskr floor. Everybody went silent and stock still at seeing Aela the Huntress battered and left naked for them to see. It certainly broke her pride as she tried covering herself and failing she collapsed to the floor in tears of rage, inadequacy, and shame. Dante looked around at all the face and addressed them.

"Anybody else want me to break them, anyone else want me to show them how pathetic they are under all that big talk and arrogance." Dante said in a powerful and commanding tone. No one said anything not wanting the same treatment. Dante then headed downstairs. Kodlak was standing by his chair.

"What just happened? I heard you saying something after Aela challenged you and I assume you beat her." Kodlak asked.

"I warned her of what would happen if we fought, that I wouldn't just break her but her pride as well. She charged me I beat her and she know lays broken naked and crying on the floor." Dante explained.

"Naked?" Kodlak asked raising an eyebrow.

"It was the only way to break the pride of a warrior woman, expose who she is under her armor, granted I did take it to a more literal degree but it was still effective. Besides I promised and would it not have been dishonorable to go back on my word?" Dante asked.

"Well, I…. she is a woman." Kodlak tried to break Dante's logic.

"I said even if she was a woman, and it would have been dishonorable to have gone easy on her for being a woman that would have meant I thought she was inferior to men." Dante said having covered all his bases.

"Uuuuhhh, yes all right I guess there's no way to punish this…" Kodlak said letting out an exasperated breath.

"So, have you found anything on a cure?" Dante asked getting down to business. At this Kodlak lit up and sat down motioning for Dante to join him. When he did Kodlak got straight down to it. He asked if Dante knew how the Companions had become werewolves. Dante told him the different stories from Vilkas and Skjor's explanation. Kodlak then told him the truth of how the Glenmoril Witches had deceived the Companions of old.

"They should die for their trickery." Dante said plainly.

"Yes, I was getting around to that. They are, poetically, the key to a cure." Kodlak said.

"How so?" Dante asked

"Their magic is the key they would never cure us willingly, but we can extract there vile powers by force." Kodlak said

"And how will we do that." Dante asked

"Slaughter them, all of them, I need you to bring me their heads and then I will explain the rest." Kodlak finished.

"It'll be done." Dante said plainly with a curt nod.

"Good, now go and don't leave any of them alive." Kodlak said in farewell.

Dante headed straight to Glenmoril Coven through the pine forest. Once outside Dante was going to unleash his werewolf power to show the witches their error but decide he would rather kill them as a warrior to show them the strength and skill of the Companions, and what they would become again. Dante went in and slaughtered the witches without mercy even as the filthy Hagravens tried to bribe him with unimaginable power when he proved that he was far too strong for them. He collected their heads while they were still alive slowly cutting their heads off with one of the dull stone knives they used for sacrifices. He stuffed the heads in a sack he picked up in Whiterun's market and traveled back to Jorrvaskr. When he got back into the city he found it far too quiet, there wasn't any sound he could hear the breeze moaning in the many alleyways. He then found out why when he found his Shield siblings outside with the corpses of the Silver Hand strewn everywhere. Dante came jogging up sliding through the crowd like a shadow.

"Torvar, what happened?" Dante asked in a commanding tone.

"The Silver Hand finally built up the courage to attack Jorrvaskr, we got most of them but I think some made it inside." Date wasted no time rushing past Torvar and Aela. Inside he found a grisly scene Athis was wounded and curled up on the floor in pain; there was multiple dead Silver Hand and plenty of blood. But that's when Dante saw it, Kodlak laying on the ground bleeding and barely alive. Dante rushed forward but was stopped by a furious Vilkas. He wasn't angry at Dante but it almost seemed that way by his tone.

"Where have you been?!"

"I was out doing Kodlak's bidding." Dante said.

"Well I hope it was important because it means you weren't here to defend him." Vilkas said bitterness in his voice from what he knew was coming.

"Vilkas please let him through." Kodlak said weakly from the ground. Dante rushed up to him dropping down to a knee next to him and clasping hands with the old warrior.

"Did you… succeed?" Kodlak asked pain in his voice.

"Yes the Glenmoril Witches are all dead." Dante said holding up the bloody sack.

"Good… good… you must go… to the tomb of…. Ysgramor… as soon as you are… able…" Kodlak only just managed to finish before death finally took him into its dark embrace. Dante still clasped hands with him.

"I will not let this go unpunished the Silver Hand will pay with, Every. Single. One of their lives there will not be any left when I am finished I promise you that I do this for myself I will not let this go even if it wouldn't be your wish, Rest In Peace Kodlak Whitemane." Dante said coldly solemnly swearing the slaughter of the Silver Hand. He brought Kodlak's hand up and pressed his forehead to it before crossing Kodlak's hands over his chest and placing his blade in his them.

"Vilkas where is the Silver Hand's main hideout?" Dante asked standing back up.

"At Driftshade Refuge, it's no doubt where they also took the shards of Wuuthrad." Vilkas answered.

"Then let's go, we're going to wipe it clean and reclaim the shards." Dante said making his way to the door. Vilkas slid on his helmet and fell in silently behind him. Once outside Aela came up and asked where they were going when Vilkas answered she tried to insist she come along it was Vilkas who snapped on her furiously.

"No! It was YOU who sought revenge for the death of Skjor and YOU BOTH that hunted the Silver Hand causing far more bloodshed then there was ever called for! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULTS! KODLAK WOULD STILL BE ALIVE AND DANTE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN STRICKEN WITH THIS CURSE LIKE THE REST OF US! SO YOU WILL NOT BE COMING, I DON'T WANT YOU ANYWHERE NEAR ME OR ANY OF US!"

With that Aela shut right up and looked down with shame and then Dante and Vilkas headed to Driftshade. They didn't speak the whole journey, they didn't have to, they both knew the plan they would slaughter the Silver Hand and retrieve the shards of Wuuthrad. There was a blizzard going on outside the hideout but it didn't stop the two or even slow them down. The men outside didn't even get a chance to scream before Aquila put an arrow in the throat or perhaps the head. When they were at the front door Dante replaced Aquila with Rebellion, and looked over at Vilkas who nodded grimly, Dante returned the nod. The next forty five minutes were full of screams of pain and terror. The two Shield-brothers walked out of Driftshade, blades absolutely coated in blood, it dripped off their blades continuously before they wiped them clean on the dead sentries outside and headed home to properly honor Kodlak Whitemane. They made it back to Jorrvaskr to find the Jarl there waiting.

"I have sent word to the other holds their Jarls have all agreed to come for the Harbinger's service. Even those aligned with the Stormcloaks Ulfric himself said he'd be here before the day was out." He said solemnly with his head bowed.

"Fine, but there will be no bloodshed is that understood? There has been far too much this past week." Dante ordered. Vilkas nodded his agreement and the Jarl nodded saying,

"I will not allow a single drop of it be shed in Whiterun hold."

After about two days the Jarls had all gathered and none fought despite allegiances. Dante walked up to the Skyforge where the Jarls had gathered with all of the Companions. Kodlak lay on his funeral pyre cleaned of blood but otherwise he looked no different then how Dante had left him. He still held his sword the same way and would to his grave. He heard the other members of the Circle saying words he didn't hear or care to he had somewhere to be… soon.

"Dante you should be the one to light it you were the one who was with him at the end." Aela surprisingly said holding out the torch. Dante didn't need it he had the perfect fire for Kodlak.

He walked in front of the pure and took a deep breath "_YOL-TOOR!_" The shout held the last bit coming out as a ferocious dragon's roar as fire was launched out of Dante in a Jetstream. It wasn't hot though he didn't even feel the ferocious red flames now lapping up the pyre. Dante could see the astonished looks on the gathered people's faces and then how they all wanted to get away from the pyre as sweat poured from their faces from the heat that he couldn't feel. He felt his forehead and then checked his gloved hand but it didn't come back wet. The rest of the day the people spent mourning in Jorrvaskr but not him and the other members of the Circle even Aela he called them all to meet him in the Underforge but Eorlund came up as he was about to enter.

"I must ask of you something." The Blacksmith said.

"What is it?" Dante asked

"I need you to go fetch a shard of Wuuthrad that Kodlak always kept in his room; I don't believe it would be right if I were the one going through his things."

"I'll do it." Dante said heading into Jorrvaskr. He made his way to Kodlak's chambers. He checked the nightstand first and that's where it was along with Kodlak's journal. Dante sat down on his bed and opened the journal he read of a dream Kodlak had and more…

'_In my dream, I see the line of Harbingers start with Ysgramor. Each of them ascends to Sovngarde, until we come to Terrfyg, who first turned us to the ways of the beast. He tries to enter Sovngarde, but before he can even approach Tsun, he is set upon by a great wolf, who pulls him into the Hunting Grounds, where Hircine laughs with welcoming arms._

_Terrfyg seems regretful, but also eager to join Hircine after a lifetime of service as a beast._

_Then I see every next Harbinger turn away from Sovngarde and enter the Hunting Grounds of their own accord. Until it comes to me, and I see great Tsun on the misty horizon, beckoning me. It appears I have a choice. And then, at my side, a stranger I had not seen before. As I look into his clear blue eyes, we turn to see the same wolf who dragged away Terrfyg, and he and I draw weapons together._

_I realize this is only a dream, but a strong enough dream to inspire a man like me to take to writing, so it must be of some importance._

_I've spoken of my thoughts to the Circle, withholding the part about the stranger lest Skjor worry I will no longer seek his counsel, and I was not surprised to see them torn by it. Skjor and Aela are strong in the ways of the beast, and even seemed to suggest that the Hunting Grounds would be their choice of afterlife, if it were truly a choice. Vilkas seemed most troubled. The boy is as fierce as a sabre cat in battle, but his heart's fire burns too brightly at times. He felt deceived, and I don't blame him. Farkas didn't know what to think, but I believe he will come around with me and his brother eventually. He usually does. I don't know what to do about Skjor and Aela. I know they respect the Companions, and me, but they take to the blood more deeply than the rest of us._

_Fortune smiles upon us yesterday, Vilkas was telling me how difficult it had been for him to give up his transformations. Until we can pursue a true cure, the twins and I have chosen not to give in to the beastblood. For me, it's provided a clearer head, but Vilkas seems to be suffering a bit for it. Farkas seems completely untroubled. That boy continues to amaze with his fortitude._

_While Vilkas was confiding, through the shadows of Jorrvaskr, I saw a newcomer approach, who wished to join our numbers. It was the stranger from my dream, the one who would stand with me against the beast. Vilkas began speaking obliquely, not wishing to air our problems in front of our guest, and I had to be doubly cautious to not reveal anything of our secrets to the newcomer while also not revealing the details of my dream to Vilkas. I don't know how the politicians deal with these sorts of machinations daily._

_In any case, I've sent Vilkas to test the newcomer. We'll see if he is truly the great warrior I dreamt of._

_This newcomer, it seems, is made of some amazing stock. He calls himself Dante, and has already impressed some of the Circle with his mettle. I still keep my own counsel on his place in my dream, for now. Let us see what kind of destiny he is carving before hitching to him._

_In the meanwhile, I look for ways of cleansing my blood. The writings and legends on the subject are sparse and contradictory. I don't wish to engage any wizadry on this matter, but I fear they may be the only ones who best know how to navigate these worlds of knowledge._

_It's apparent to me now that Terrfyg's choice to turn us was indeed a mistake. Magics and their like are not in keeping with the spirit of the Companions. We face our problems directly, without the need of such trickery. I can only hope to guide us back to the true path of Ysgramor before the rot takes me._

_Dante continues to impress. I don't know where he will stand on the question of the blood, but the question has not been presented yet. He does know that we carry the beastblood, and appears curious about it. Soon enough, I can explain our troubles, and hopefully see what role he will play._

_I'm amazed that Aela thinks she can keep a secret among this drunken rabble. Especially with the loss of Skjor (my heart aches), emotions are fraying, and the walls of discretion are the first to fall._

_Apparently she had Dante off slaughtering the Silver Hand, in retaliation for Skjor's death. Dante's heart is noble in that he only did so to help Aela, but the course of vengeance was foolish and Dante informed me of the hunts Skjor and Aela went on to kill Silver Hand with their beastblood and how they forced the blood on him to join the Circle. I have had Skjor's name stricken from any of our records or tomes, his death was that of his own doing and he dragged Dante into this cursed matter of our tainted blood and for that he doesn't deserve to stay a member of the Companions. Aela will be removed from the Circle when she returns from no doubt causing more bloodshed._

_Dante shows valor, though even in this more underhanded time. We have not had cause to speak, much and that is something I deeply regret. I have high hopes for his destiny, as I realized that his appearance in my dream may indeed mark him as the Harbinger to succeed me._

_I have received few dreams over the course of my life, but when they come, I have learned to trust them. I have also learned to trust the instincts of my heart, which tells me that Dante can carry the Companions legacy as truly as any residing in Jorrvaskr, with the loss of Skjor. Aela is too solitary and has proven not honorable enough, Vilkas too fiery, and Farkas too kind-hearted. Only Dante stands as a true warrior who can keep a still mind amidst these burning hearts._

_I will not speak to him of any of this, though. It is too much to burden another with. My hope is that he and I can keep counsel over the coming years, that I can impart the wisdom of the Harbingers. All things in time. Firstly, I will seek his assistance in the matter of the witches of Glenmoril. It would appear that our path to the cure is not without some poetic justice for the tricksters who first cursed us.'_

Dante didn't know what to make of the journal. It seemed a little far-fetched but then he remembered his dream of the beautiful vampire. He returned the journal to the nightstand. After giving the shard to Eorlund Dante headed to the Underforge. The other members of the Circle were arguing about a cure for their Lycanthropy when Dante entered the conversation then came to curing Kodlak even though he was dead.

"We must go to the tomb of Ysgramor Kodlak told me to go there before he died I'm certain it had something to do with the cure." Dante said

"What makes you so sure about that?" Vilkas asked.

"He said to go there after I showed him these." Dante said brandishing the bloody sack of Glenmoril Witch heads.

"What's in there?" they all asked.

"The heads of the Glenmoril Witches." Dante said

"That's right Kodlak said that the cure would most likely involve them." Vilkas said.

"Yes, yes, but you're forgetting that the only way into Ysgramor's Tomb requires a weapon that is in pieces now." Aela said

"She's right, then there is no way." Vilkas said. Just then Eorlund came in with the handle to some weapon sticking up over his shoulder.

"There is always a way once elves ruled Skyrim and now dragons have returned so now shall the weapon of Ysgramor return." He said coming forward.

"How it's in pieces?" Aela asked

"Silly girl a weapon is a tool and tools are meant to be broken… and repaired." Eorlund said coming forward and drawing Wuuthrad the ancient weapon of Ysgramor once in shards now whole again.

"This is the first time I've had all the pieces together and now you must take this weapon and free Kodlak's soul. You should be the one to wield it as you are the only one worthy." Eorlund said handing Wuuthrad to Dante. They wasted no more time and headed straight for the Tomb of Ysgramor. They made amazing time arriving there before the sun rose. Once inside Dante returned Wuuthrad to Ysgramor opening the passage further into the tomb. It was then that Vilkas elected to stay behind as he didn't feel worthy for having sought vengeance for Kodlak's death. Dante told him to take Wuuthrad back to Jorrvaskr whenever he decided to leave. Dante Farkas and Aela proceeded the rest of the way having to prove themselves to the Companions of old. Farkas decided to head back to his brother as there were spiders and after his close call in Dustman's Cairn they were too much for him. Dante understood everyone has their fears well except for him. He and Aela finished the journey in the final resting place of Ysgramor. They found Kodlak standing at a blue fire in a sunken part of the tomb.

"Ah, you're here" he said looking at Dante with a smile

"Kodlak is that you?" Dante asked not sure if his eyes were deceiving him.

"Yes it is I'm here as well as my predecessors we all came here to try and avoid Hircine and his hunting grounds." Kodlak said.

"I only see you…" Dante said confused

"That is because you only know me as the Harbinger. Ha! I'd bet old Vignar could see half a dozen of my predecessors… and I see them all." Kodlak said

"We've come here to cure you, you told me to come here and I've brought the witches heads." Dante explained

"Good, cast it into the Harbinger's fire and their magic will be released." Kodlak instructed.

Dante did so and suddenly the spirit of a large wolf sprang from Kodlak's chest. It snarled at Dante and charged straight for him Dante rolled out of the way at just the right second drawing Rebellion as he did so. The wolf then spun around as Aela began firing arrows in its backside. Dante took his chance and jumped to its back and climbed to its head and with a mighty swing cleaved its head off. It collapsed to the ground and disappeared it took all of perhaps a minute.

"I am free… I thank you for now I can go to Sovngarde and perhaps one day will lead an attack into Hircine's hunting ground and free our other Shield-Brothers and Sisters. But I must appoint the next Harbinger… and I think it rather obvious… you shall be the next Harbinger of the Companions. Good luck I wish you fair travel in the days to come Dragonborn for they will not be easy." At that Kodlak Whitemane's spirit vanished and the new Harbinger turned to his Shield-Sister.

"As the new Harbinger I hereby name you a member of the Circle Aela." Dante said to the astonishment of the woman.

"But, there will be no more sneaking out to hunt the Silver Hand… I order you to Slaughter all of them not one escapes. You will relay this to the rest of Jorrvaskr I want it done." Dante said. Aela gave a very wolfish grin and said "It will be as you say Harbinger."

"Good now head back to the twins and bring them these" Dante said handing the sack of Glenmoril Witches heads to her. Aela did as he asked but not before Dante removed one head and cast it in the fire.

"Go get out of here, do not interfere." Dante said as he threw up blood, enough to fill an ancient chalice… and then a great wolf spirit burst from his chest and he felt alive and… human.

Wiping his mouth he looked at the wolf and smirked. "Let's go Fido." Was all Dante said before the wolf charged at him and Dante faced it head on.

**Author Notes: Well there we go the Companions quest line is now done. I know it was a little rushed but I want to get further into this story and it's rushed in game anyway. Well till next time…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"**Legitimate Invitation"**

**Time until Thalmor Ball: 5 days**

In the past month Dante was very busy, aside from traveling the length and breadth of Skyrim and visiting its capital cities. He had managed to make a name for himself. He had stopped the Wolf Queen Potema twice and gained the favor of Jarl Elisif of Solitude. He had also done plenty of things in the different holds whether it be help the people or he had actually dealt with many Daedra and defied them, such as Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, and Vaermina. Some he actually helped Malacath, Meridia, Peryite, and Sheogorath. He even partied with Sanguine granted he can't remember any of it but he did actually like him and Sheogorath something about the prince of madness he found interesting and amusing. Strangely enough he helped some of the eviler Daedra but that was because they were killing another evil those were Mehrunes Dagon the one that started the Oblivion crisis and Molag Bal the creator of Vampirism. None of them he bowed to though he refused to address them as lord or my lady. Boethiah he really didn't defy so much as slaughter her cultists near Windhelm. The Daedra though aren't the only things he came to know or deal with. He learned many words of power mastering some he'd even killed a few more dragons but not before they gave him a very good thrashing he was nearly killed on multiple occasions. After curing himself and the twins of lycanthropy Dante had the Companions kill the rest of the Silver Hand no one objected to this though or him being the new Harbinger. He had reined in a hefty amount of gold that he'd spent on furnishing his house in Solitude that Elisif had gifted him for his stopping Potema, and he had enough left over that he needed a safe and he'd even hidden some in different places in Skyrim as contingency just in case even though he held property in most of the holds and had earned the title of Thane in all nine holds even Riften to which took him almost three days to finally go back inside after his dealings with the Thieves Guild rep Brynjolf. His house in Solitude which is where he decided he'd stay was filled with different mementos of his journeys and held his new Daedric artifacts he'd told his Housecarl to remain in the Blue Palace so he could have his privacy. Dante may have done such a great deal in a land that would take even some of the better travelers at least a week to travel across but, he still felt like he had plenty left to do aside from dealing with the dragons he hadn't done anything with the College of Winterhold despite telling himself he should go to learn the proper use of magic instead of his crude uses of it. There was also still the Civil War still raging. In short he truly felt the pressure.

Dante was now heading back to Riverwood to talk to Delphine about the Ball. He headed into the Sleeping Giant Inn. Delphine must have seen him as she waved him over to her room and they headed down the stairs to her hidden room.

"So, I've been hearing a lot about the Dragonborn and Harbinger of the Companions and how he's been protecting people and taking the courts of Skyrim by storm holding the title of Thane in all nine holds. You realize you've done in a month what would take most people several lifetimes to accomplish?" Delphine asked

"It was actually more like two weeks to get the title of Thane in all nine holds the rest of the time I spent doing well I'm not sure of a word that fits…" Dante said looking off into space.

"Well bad news first… you were right that black dragon has raised every dragon in Tamriel, there have been sightings all over, Cyrodiil, Morrowind, Valenwood, and Hammerfell, just to name a few. But the good news they don't seem to be doing anything I mean sure the occasional village gets wiped out but otherwise they stick to their mountain peaks." Delphine said with a confused look.

"They're gathering their strength again, they've been dead for over a thousand years but I've had to kill quite a few dragons recently so I think their passiveness will be gone soon." Dante said

"Well it's a good thing that the ball is here then. Which means we need to get down to business." Delphine said placing her hands on the table.

"Alright so what should we plan for first?" Dante said clasping his hands behind his back and pacing.

"Well we'll need to get you an invitation can't have you…." Delphine trailed off as Dante pulled out a very embroidered piece of paper with Dragonborn written on it.

"What can I say they wanted the new Hero at their party, all the important people right?" Dante said at her rather surprised and confused look.

"Okay well that settles that. Next you need some fitting clothes for when your mingling. Probably some armor you are a hero right?" She suggested

"Ebony armor, it's beautiful, heavy, expensive, and black." Dante said

"I doubt color matters…" Delphine said

"It does most people know me by the black clothing and black everything else. It would be a little odd to wear some pearling white outfit in place." Dante explained

"Alright good point. Well then I'm sure you can procure that?" Delphine said raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"I'll have to… procure a suit of it from… well where I get it isn't important. What's next then?" Dante said resuming his pacing.

"We need you to get some gear smuggled in. To that end I need you to travel to Solitude and meet with my contact that will be you're inside man at the ball he'll get your gear inside because you only will be able to carry your sword inside and it'll only be there for appearances. Anyway my contact is a wood elf named Malborn he's a servant in the embassy and will meet you in the alley near The Winking Skeever." Delphine explained

"Alright then I'll get moving to Solitude." Dante said walking out.

"I'll meet you in the stables the night of the party." Delphine called after him to which he turned his head to hear before nodding and proceeding on to Solitude the journey would take at least a day.

The city of Solitude is enormous there has to be over ten thousand people living there and the city certainly earns its right to be the capital city of Skyrim. The Blue Palace home of Jarl Elisif the Fair certainly puts many of the Palaces of Cyrodiil and its cities to shame. The city held an oddly warmer air then one would think considering it was rather high on a mountain and was built on a massive natural arch where the waters of the sea flow through to create the cities bustling port. The city always held a sweet scent from the many flowers planted around the city. Dante though knew the city wasn't always a beautiful paradise… when he first arrived he witnessed the execution of the guard who opened the gate for Ulfric Stormcloak after he killed the High King Torygg. That day the people acted like animals the way they cheered when his head rolled off the block and reveled in his blood being shed. Dante's house was a very nice manor called Proudspire. Jarl Elisif had asked him after he helped to defeat Potema where he wished his residence be, it was the least conspicuous house he could find. Most were as big as palaces and some were just plain ridiculous in how their eccentric owners had the stonework done. Dante now entered his house with a new suit of ebony armor that happened to mysteriously disappear from the armory of the Blue Palace it had no doubt been for Jarls or maybe the high king, he got lucky and found a suit of it that fit him perfectly. He felt a little guilty for stealing it but well he was going to end up leaving it in the Thalmor Embassy anyway so they'd find it eventually. He placed it on the floor in the corner by the armor mannequins in his basement. He pulled off his armor cloak and weapons. He left his gloves, thick skintight leather shirt and pants on to wear with the armor. He fastened the many straps that held the thick heavy ebony to him. He hadn't worn heavy armor in quite some time though the knowledge of his training never left him so the minute it came to it, it all clicked back into place. He still moved smoothly just not as quietly, considering the ebony plates would rub and bump against each other there was really no way to do so like with most heavy armor. He then hooked Rebellion in its sheath to the belt of the large armor. Dante then stacked his leather armor, boots and all the rest in a neat pile and carried them outside. He took the alley ways not wanting to draw attention to himself until he eventually found the wood elf. He was significantly shorter than Dante being a wood elf. He wore the uniform of a Thalmor servant the gold with black trim of his rather expensive looking clothes made him look like he were a noble despite being the exact opposite, the Thalmor enjoy flaunting.

"You must be Malborn." Dante said looking down at the short man.

"Wait you're the Dragonborn? You're only what a year over twenty?" Malborn asked looking surprised and full of anxiety.

"Twenty two actually and I'm far more knowledgeable and experienced then the noble sons you normally come across no doubt, and considering I could kill you so fast it would make your head spin, I don't think you're in a position to argue." Dante said setting his gear down on a nearby barrel.

"Alright yeah look we have to go over this quick; we don't have much time before I have to get back to the embassy." He said checking around him self-consciously.

"Alright then what's the plan?" Dante asked waiting patiently

"You're going to have to mingle with the guests for quite a while so that you're not missed when you slip out, probably a few hours. When you're ready to leave you're going to need to make a distraction so no one notices you slipping out. I'll lead you through the kitchen to where I'll stow away your gear after that you're on your own." Malborn explained

"Guess I actually have to deal with the nobles then… well alright I get the plan." Dante said. Malborn nodded and went to pick up his gear but Dante clamped an iron like grip on his arm.

"If I find any thing missing I'll skin you alive before cutting of your wood elf down there and making you eat it." Dante said with a tone that froze Malborn's blood and him. He swallowed hard before nodding and continuing. Dante watched as the little wood elf scurried away. Dante headed back to his house to spend the next few days waiting for the first party he'd attend through a legitimate invitation.

**Author's Notes: Now I know in game it's more of dinner party but that's no fun! So, instead the Thalmor Embassy is being expanded (Just like everything else in this story…) and the party is a ball for only the best and most prestigious in Skyrim. Anyway I know this was quite short in comparison to the other chapters but I didn't want to make the chapter with the ball long to the point where suicide is the only viable option to make it stop. Well, as always till next time…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"**A Night of Dancing, Merriment, and Silent Death"**

Dante looked off into the blizzard from his seat in the back of the carriage. He couldn't see much, the sun was beginning to set last he'd seen it and the ball had already started but Delphine had insisted he ride in the carriage despite his assurance he could get to the embassy faster on foot. Dante could see the Thalmor Embassy beginning to loom up in the distance. It held the same architecture as much of Solitude, but then again it was an estate given to the Thalmor as a "gift" for them to base their operations in Skyrim. Dante felt the carriage rock to a halt at the gate as the driver gave his story to the guard who let him in. The creaking of the gate actually overpowered the howling of the blizzard wind. Once inside Dante jumped from the back of the carriage his heavy ebony armor making his landing much harder and louder than he would have liked, 'I don't know why people actually wear this stuff it would be much simpler to just not be hit…' Dante thought despite the fact that he is trained in the use of heavy armor and great two-handed weapons just as well as he is with light armor and one-handed weapons now magic on the other hand… well let's just say there's only so much you can learn from old spell tomes. He approached the guard at the door.

"Invitation please" the guard clad in the Thalmor's hooded robes said looking down at Dante though he didn't have to look down to far as Dante was as tall as the average high elf woman, the guard in front of him was probably 6'6 average for high elf men only two inches.

"Here you are." Dante said holding out his invitation.

"Ahh, the Dragonborn we've been instructed to allow you to carry your sword and it would seem you didn't bother to carry anything else." He said

"Well I figured it's a party and I could always say three words and kill a man, why bother with all that extra weight?" Dante asked good naturedly

"I've heard of the power of shouting in the dragon tongue. But you should head inside I'm sure ambassador Elenwen would like to meet you." The young guard said ushering him through the door. He barely made it through the threshold when another high elf that was his height was standing before him holding out her hand.

"I am Elenwen and you must be the Dragonborn." She said

"Yeah, Dante" He said shaking her hand. She wore the same robes as the guard except the hood was replaced with a high collar.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance and might I say you are quite tall for a… Nord?" She asked raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Yes, and I have been told that, however I am not sure where I get it from." Dante said

"Well it's not unheard of for some Nords to reach even the heights of the average Altmer man. But your hair color is certainly rare. You also don't hold the same… shall we say ruggedness of most Nords, in your features that is." Elenwen said their small talk going on.

"Well I never did take much stock in what blood ran in my veins… well at least until I was told that dragon blood ran through them." Dante said

"Yes of course the dragon blood you know we would be interested to know if you knew why the dragons were returning?" Elenwen asked. This was no idle question however she was truly curious which meant only one thing… they were as clueless as he was.

"I wish I knew… They certainly aren't going to sit back and watch us for much longer. They certainly aren't going to wait for this damn Civil War to end either." Dante said honestly.

"Well if you need any assistance in the matter please know that we of the Thalmor give you our full support." Elenwen said Dante could see the 'for now' in her eyes.

"I'll keep that in mind your help would be much appreciated." Dante said dancing the dance that politicians and nobles so love to dance. He had learned the moves through observation and trial and error. He had soon mastered it like most talents put in front of him even at his young age Dante held more knowledge than some of elderly well except for the realm of emotions…

"Well I should let you enjoy the ball perhaps we will speak again later." She said giving him a curt nod in farewell before heading back into the building. Dante headed in and found himself in a large central room it was filled with people from many different walks of life, all of upper class of course, conversing laughing and moving in and out of the many rooms but most headed to a large pair of opened double doors down the main hallway. He had time to kill and so he followed them. He then entered the ballroom its black and white checkered floor practically a mirror after its buffing and cleaning. There were many large crystal chandeliers and the sound of harps and many a different instrument coalesced into a tune of a quicker pace that the many, many couples danced to. The dance floor was circled entirely by a balcony that's stairs started near the doors. He recognized the Jarls loyal to the empire scattered in the ballroom some danced while others were on the balcony conversing or eating… or drinking. A lot of the latter. Dante felt some rough hands grab his wrists as he was pulled to the dance floor. "Come on pretty boy let's dance." Said the raspy voice of a middle aged and overweight imperial woman. 'Oh kill me now…' Dante thought as she clamped his waist with one pudgy hand and his right gauntleted hand with another. She forced him to dance until he saw salvation in the form of a server with glasses of red wine. Dante brought his gauntleted fingers to his lips and let out a shrill whistle to get his attention. When he came over Dante grabbed a glass and downed half off it. Then he "accidently" spilled the rest all over the front of his captors white dress. Now free from the wretched noble woman (and that's with great reluctance that I say "Noble") Dante spotted her the beautiful Elisif the Fair, her auburn hair was curled and she wore a beautiful red dress though Dante only saw her from behind he still knew it was her and for his pride's sake he needed to dance with a woman at the better half of the spectrum. Flipping his bangs out of his eye he headed her way.

"May I have this dance my lady?" Dante asked bowing slightly and holding his hand out.

"Oh, why of course my Thane." She said as she turned to look up at him and placed her hand in his. When Dante saw the height of her dresses cut he felt his face flush. He steeled himself and led her out onto the dance floor as the speed of the music slowed. He felt her small delicate hand around his waist and the other he tried hard not to crush in the ebony gauntlet of his right hand.

"You look quite handsome in that armor. I haven't seen you wear it ever though, is it new?" She asked looking up at him with her emerald eyes.

"Uuuhh, you could say that…." He said trying to brush it off.

"I guess that means its better I not know where it came from?" She asked raising one delicate eyebrow. The makeup she wore only accented her natural beauty.

"You look especially beautiful tonight my lady." Dante said hoping to change the subject.

"Thank you and I'll take that as a yes." Elisif said

"So, has Potema tried rearing her severed head again since I've been gone?" Dante asked

"No thankfully she hasn't" She said after a small giggle.

"Well that's good I think I've had enough of anything to deal with wolves or the mention of them for quite some time." Dante said genuinely, he had dealt with them enough in the past month between the Companions, Hircine, and Potema Dante was rather tired of them.

"I'm sure after having stopped the wolf queen twice you deserve a vacation." Elisif said

"Hmph, if only I could get one…" Dante grunted.

After his dance with Elisif Dante could feel eyes on him. He turned to see many woman from the young to the old, beautiful to the… well let's just say fighting a dragon would be preferable to dancing with these ones. 'Oh come on I didn't even do anything. I think I miss when girls avoided me…' Dante thought. He knew that he still had time to kill and decided to dance with the pretty ones he assumed were his age, some were questionable, possibly in their late teens. Many noble fathers approached him trying to set him, the Dragonborn, Harbinger of the Companions, and Thane of Skyrim, up with their daughters, some he was almost tempted to take up on the offer. The attention from women Dante got didn't sit well with him he wasn't really interested in going after woman, getting in the skirts of every woman in Skyrim was not on his long list of priorities. Besides he did try to keep some honor by waiting for the proverbial one, Dante never expected to find her as he was trained on how to kill with any weapon imaginable, create beautiful blades from nothing but hunks of metal, be quieter than a shadow, climb buildings and plenty more, but matters of the heart? He never expected he'd feel love and didn't even know how to go about voicing when he did. He never was much good with emotions and so he didn't bother with them. He had found himself eating and talking to Jarl Balgruuf when Elenwen came into the room and called for everyone's attention.

"This should be good." Jarl Balgruuf said leaning towards Dante.

"Now everyone we're going to do an… activity shall we say… Now if all the gentlemen could get to one side of the dance floor and the ladies to the other I will continue." She said in a loud hostess like tone which considering wasn't too surprising. Dante filed along with the men somehow ending up at the front of the horde. The ladies lined up across from them.

"Now I want you all to find a partner of the opposite gender and wearing the opposite color of what you are, blues with reds, greens with purples, blacks with whites yellows with oranges, and so on." Elenwen said in the same tone, though the "activity didn't seem to be her idea. "You've gotta be kidding me…" Dante said to himself wishing he could slip out now… He didn't have time to react when a young woman, probably nineteen, attached herself to his arm. She was certainly beautiful and the white silk dress she wore didn't hide her figure… neither did the cut. Her light brown hair, sky blue eyes and height of around 5'10" placed her as a nord, of average height, (for a woman anyway, men's average was 6'-6'1") the swirling pattern tattooed in navy blue on the back of her hand told him she did hold some pride for her race… Dante never much cared about race.

"You don't mind being my partner do you?" She asked batting her eyelashes at him.

"Not at all milady." Dante said giving her a dashing smile as he led her out on the dance floor. They danced around the room and before Dante knew it all eyes were on him and his beautiful partner. He decided to give them a real show and increased the speed, his footwork was flawless just as it was when he fought with a sword, he didn't see a distinction between the two. When the dance came to a close Dante decided to show off a bit of his power as Dragonborn. He gave a mighty shout to the ceiling it coming out as a dragon's roar after the words were spoken, "_YOL-TOOR!_" Flames spewed from his mouth in a tornado of flame. The ball room was silent in awe before erupting with applause and praise.

"Thank you for giving me the honor of a dance Dragonborn." Dante's partner whispered in his ear before giving him a kiss on the cheek and a wink.

"The pleasure was all mine milady." He said blushing a little. She walked away giving him one final glance as she did. Now that he had his fun it was time to get down to business. Dante had to think of a distraction he decided to ask around to see about any grudges or failed business dealings. He found out about an ancient feud between two wealthy families one used to be thieves and there ancestor had stolen a precious heirloom, a family ring, the victim party were wealthy merchants and had had the guards canvas the people of the city and lone behold found the ring with the thieves eldest son, he was executed for the crime unjustly as the punishment had been 3 years in the prisons but the "victims" bribed the guards and got him executed. Now the families had a bitter hatred for each other and the merchants still believe the thieves are thieves. And the new head of the family of merchants just so happened to be wearing the ring. 'Well it's been awhile since I've slipped a ring off someone…' Dante thought as he approached the man from behind and spotted the Sabre cat that was circled by diamonds on the gold ring luckily for Dante the ring looked a little too big for him. He didn't even feel it come off as Dante brushed past him and nabbed it before placing it in the pocket of the thieves' head of the family. He slipped out as he heard the men start screaming at each other before coming to blows. Dante found Malborn at his station and they slipped through the kitchens without anyone seeing them. Malborn opened a door that led further into the embassy there was a chest against the wall that contained all of Dante's gear.

"Alright Malborn good work, you should get back to the ball before you're missed." Dante said finishing getting geared up and leaving the heavy ebony armor in the chest.

"You look much more like how I had pictured the Dragonborn in that. Good luck in there." Malborn said as he slipped out of the small room. Dante donned his hood and cowl and headed deeper into the embassy. He came across two Thalmor agents patrolling a smaller area one in robes stood on the stairs the other in the Thalmor's Elven armor holding the usual black with gold trim. Dante drew Ivory and crept up silently behind the one clad in armor. He sprung up like a sabre cat on its prey, he clamped a hand over the elf's mouth and drove Ivory straight through his light armor piercing his kidney and before the other could make a move Ivory was sailing through the air almost as fast as an arrow and driving itself deep into his throat. The Altmer wizard could only let out a bloody gurgle before falling down the stairs. Dante walked over to his corpse and unsheathed Ivory from his throat wiped it on the dead elf's robes and the returned it to its black leather sheath on his lower back. He crept further into the embassy quieter than a shadow dispatching any guards on the way. He found his way to a large courtyard he had exited through a balcony and was thankful the blizzard had only gotten worse making it so you could only see maybe five feet in front of you. Dante didn't need to SEE you he had other ways of finding you now. "_LAAS-YAH-NIR_." He whispered and he could see the life forces of the group in the courtyard. It was time to get to work. Dante vaulted over the railing to the ground below landing on the first and with one hand over the woman's mouth and the other the base of her skull he gave a sharp twist snapping her neck. He drew Aquila and fired two arrows in rapid succession dropping two more guards. After retrieving his arrows he repeated the words of the shout and it revealed the remaining seven. He drew Ebony & Ivory and approached two standing next to each other complaining of the blizzard. He slipped in between them spinning as he slit their throats and then driving the daggers into the men's carotid arteries he let them drop knowing the blizzard wind would cover their descent. He moved on to another two throwing his twins at them before running up behind the man in the center of the courtyard and sliding into the back of his legs and when he hit the ground on his back he never had time to scream before Dante had stomped on his throat crushing his windpipe. After retrieving the curved twins he headed to the final two guarding one of the doors. He walked up to them nonchalantly knowing they wouldn't be able to get back up, he had just killed them all.

"Hey you guys, could you point me to the bathroom I mean I've been wandering around out here for hours." Dante said in an aimless tone.

"This is a restricted area we are going to have to have you escorted out of the embassy by our fellows out here and if you should return we will not hesitate in putting you down." The mage said.

"That might be problematic; I did just kill them…" He said in a mock guilty voice. And before they could look surprised he punched them both in the throats collapsing their air ways before dropping and spinning sliding their legs out from under them. He walked into the building as the sounds of the guards suffocating died down. The building seemed to be more for doing business than the main house it was smaller and had far more stairs. Dante heard a Thalmor agent speaking to someone else, an informant by the sounds of their conversation. He waited for the informant to exit before putting Ebony in his back, Dante didn't much like traitors. He caught up to the agent and grabbed him in a full nelson hold so he couldn't use his hands for magic and ducked his head down to avoid his attempts at head butting him. When he had finally tired himself out, Dante whispered in his ear,

"You scream and I'll cut out your tongue before killing all your friends, and don't think I won't I already cleared the courtyard and plenty more in the opposite building." The agent nodded his consent.

"Where's the information you have on the dragons return?" Dante asked cutting straight to the chase.

"In the room upstairs, its where we keep all our records. We also have a prisoner who's helping in the torture room downstairs." He said letting it all out in a bid to save himself.

"Thanks." Was the last thing Dante said as he adjusted his left hand from the back of the agent's neck to his mouth and snapped his neck. He found the file on Ulfric Stormcloak and learned that his treachery ran far deeper than simply killing the High King. He then found the records on someone named Esbern:

_Status: Fugitive (Capture Only), Highest Priority, Emissary Level Approval_

_Description: Male, Nord, late 70s, 6'6", blue eyes, gray hair (formerly blonde)_

_Background: Esbern was one of the Blades loremasters prior to the First War Against the Empire. He was not a field agent, but is believed to have been behind some of the most damaging operations carried out by the Blades during the pre-war years, including the Falinesti Incident and the breach of the Blue River Prison. His file had remained dormant for many years, and inexcusable error on the part of my predecessor (who has been called to Alinor for punishment and reeducation), in the erroneous belief that he was unlikely to pose a threat due to his advanced age and lack of field experience. A salutary reminder to all operational levels that no Blades agent should be considered low priority for any reason. All are to be found and justice exacted upon them._

_Operational Notes: As we are still in the dark as to the cause and meaning of the return of the dragons, I have made capturing Esbern our top priority, as he is known to be one of the experts in the dragonlore of the Blades. Regrettably, we have yet to match their expertise on the subject of dragons, which was derived from their Akaviri origins and is still far superior to our own (which remains largely theoretical). The archives of Cloud Ruler Temple, which is believed to have been the primary repository of the oldest Blades lore, were largely destroyed during the siege, and although great effort has been made to reconstruct what was lost, it now appears that most of the records related to the dragons were either removed or destroyed prior to our attack. Thus Esbern remains our best opportunity to learn how and why the dragons have returned. It cannot be ruled out that the Blades themselves are somehow connected to the dragons' return._

_We have recently obtained solid information that Esbern is still alive and hiding somewhere in Riften. Interrogation of a possible eyewitness is on-going. We must proceed carefully to avoid Esbern becoming alerted to his danger. If he is indeed in Riften, he must not be given an opportunity to flee._

"Well that helps…" Dante said after viewing the info. He headed all the way downstairs to the torture chambers in the basement. He found a lone soldier, likely the torturer by his bloody Thalmor armor, standing by an open cell tapping his foot impatiently. Dante didn't bother sneaking up to him there wasn't anyone left to hear their battle. He came in drawing Rebellion and beckoning at the man in a way that said 'bring it'. The torturer charged at him with a mace, he was slow and rather lombering as he sung down but his bulky frame and nasty white scar probably what kept him in the Thalmor as a torturer. Dante easily sidestepped the clumsy strike and kicked him hard in the crook of his knee wear his armor didn't cover him dropping him to his knee and Dante was at his back pinning his calf down which kept him where he was. Dante drew Rebellion across his throat severing his jugular as well and then kicked him forward. He freed the prisoner who was apparently a member of the Thieves Guild. The man told him of how Esbern had come to hide in the Ratway. Just as they were going to escape out of the body chute Dante heard Thalmor calling out for the intruder. He told the thief to go down but wait at the bottom he'd be right behind him after dealing with their guests. Dante took to the shadows of the harshly lit torture chamber. He heard them mention having Malborn and he knew he had to get him out. The one not holding Malborn's binding came down stairs Dante she didn't get a chance to call out before Dante had her in a choke hold with a hand clamped over her mouth. Her legs kicked out at the nearby crates but Dante kept her just out of reach. He tightened the hold choking the life from her quicker. Soon her thrashing became sluggish before ceasing entirely. Dante crushed her throat anyway just in case as he slipped up the stairs. He didn't bother hiding as he came into view of the Thalmor agent who instantly put Malborn between them in an attempt to protect him but his armor and his shield wouldn't stop the words from reaching his ears and Dante's intent to whisper in his mind as his life slipped from him. "_KRII-LUN!_" Dante shouted marking him for death in his mind and watching as he dropped to the ground his life ebbing away. He grabbed Malborn by the wrist and led him to the body chute. As they reached the cave at the bottom Dante was surprised to find the thief awaiting him as he instructed. He led them to the ledge into the cave that led out of there the frost troll down below could prove problematic. Dante dropped down finding another of the unusual gems he'd come across in his journeys, he'd started quite the collection at his home, next to a corpse in shreds. The troll charged at him when he came into view but Dante decided he'd put a stop to him with some dragonfire trolls already hated the regular kind. "_YOL-TOOR!_" Dante shouted setting the troll ablaze; it let out a pained screaming roar as it burned alive before finally dropping dead. He led the other two to the nearby exit and they both sprinted off into the blizzard. Dante looked around as the snow whipped his hood and snow pelted his cowl. "Best party I've been to…" Dante said to himself as he walked off into the blizzard.

**Author Notes: Well there's the ball I hope you enjoyed it and as always…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"**Like A Rat In A Trap"**

Dante walked into Delphine's secret room and found her sharpening her katana.

"Well I have good news and bad news." Dante said

"Let's hear the bad news…" Delphine said exasperated.

"The Thalmor are as clueless as we are on the dragons' return…" Dante said.

"Really? I would have sworn they'd know something…" Delphine trailed off.

"That's the good news. They did know of someone who might." Dante said holding out the dossier.

"He must be a friend of yours be-"

"Esbern!" Delphine exclaimed cutting Dante off.

"So you do know him then?" He asked looking down at the small Breton woman.

"He was one the Blades' loremasters; I thought the Thalmor had gotten him years ago…" She said leafing through the dossier.

"Well, he's apparently hiding out in the Ratway in Riften." Dante said as he folded his arms knowing full well what that meant.

"You have to get there quick before the Thalmor finds him then!" Delphine said looking almost… excited.

"I figured… I'll get going right away then." Dante said beginning to walk out.

"Good work Dragonborn." Delphine called after him. Dante nodded looking back over his shoulder slightly.

He was then back on the road and heading for Riften. On the road near Valtheim Towers he heard the rustling of feet approaching in an almost successful attempt to sneak up to him. He spun around drawing Rebellion and met one of his attacker's curved scimitars he bobbed back to avoid the second and then had to do a back hand spring to avoid the first's second attempt at claiming his head. He stood up tall and faced his would be assassin. The Redguard stood quite tall 6' at least, he wore traditional garb of his homeland and race but it was black and red. He appraised Dante with cold calculating eyes that also held… amusement.

"My, my, quite the acrobat aren't we?" He asked smirking he was Dark Brotherhood, he had to be, his colors spoke of that as well as his skill and demeanor. Besides Dante had been a big help in their extermination in Cyrodiil and the final group in Skyrim and all of Tamriel probably wanted payback.

"An entire sanctuary of your friends couldn't stop me what makes you think you can alone?" Dante asked with a smirk of his own.

"What? You're the one who killed our brothers in Cyrodiil?" The Redguard asked all amusement gone.

"Yeah I killed your sick cultist friends; Sithis has only your little band left before he's forgotten to history." Dante said

"Well then that's just one more reason to kill you…" He said before reaching into his garb and hurling three throwing knives at Dante. He bobbed out of the way at the last second and raised Rebellion just in time to block one of his assassin's scimitars and duck under the other. Dante punched him hard in the solar plexus which pushed him back a few steps and his breath right out of him. Taking the offensive Dante pressed an attack but even breathless as he was he still managed to block all of his strikes and roll away to give himself some breathing room. Dante didn't give him a chance to catch his breath he pressed the attack pushing his opponent back to the cliff that overlooked the rushing White River below. The assassin grasped his predicament and began trying to fight his way back from the cliff but Dante wouldn't give him the chance. Dante drew Ebony in his left hand to block the strike from the man's extra scimitar, he then used Rebellion to block the other and with a swirl along the swords curved blade to his hand he disarmed him of that scimitar and drove Rebellion through the assassin's gut. Dante then kicked him off his sword and down into the White River. The assassin would survive he knew that but he didn't really care to much about the Brotherhood's work in Skyrim he only said what he did in an attempt to anger the assassin and cause him to make mistakes. He had much different reasons why he had destroyed the Dark Brotherhood in Cyrodiil. And none were noble. He pressed on to Riften and when he looked into the sewer entrance Dante had a very bad feeling this was only the first of many, many visits…. But he cleared his head and pushed forward into the Ratway. It was full of common cutthroats and plenty of crazy hermits. Some tried to kill him and when he killed the first group the others didn't try their luck. The sewers were dark damp and held an awful smell odd that Brynjolf didn't reek of this place if the guilds presence was somewhere down here. While he was navigating the labyrinth he began to notice the smell was dissipating. It was practically gone when he reached a heavy wooden door in perfect condition unlike the other warped and rotted doors down there. There was a sign that read "The Ragged Flagon." Dante figured he was there and opened the door. Inside he was greeted by much different smells, cooking meat and boiling stew, the sweet smell of honey and the smell of alcohol. The water in the center was clean and clear not brown and full of… well some of it was recognizable and a lot wasn't…

"Mavens been saying that her rival at Honningbrew Meadery is gaining ground here in Skyrim and has actually been moving his stuff into Cyrodiil, she wants us to start raiding their shipments." Dante heard a familiar accent say.

"Well how much is she paying for it?" another voice said, this one female.

"It doesn't mattr we're being asked by a loyal client to help and we should do so." Another voice with a heavy accent said, it wasn't Brynjolf.

"She's paying enough that Mercer accepted without question." Brynjolf said folding his arms across his chest.

"Brynjolf." Dante said standing at the not 7 feet from the little band.

"My, my, lad it's been some time I began to wonder if you would be coming." Brynjolf said smiling.

"We all thought he was just crazy but… I didn't even hear you come up here." The woman, an imperial of average height with snow white hair that was cut to her shoulders and an odd beauty to her, said with raised eyebrows.

"Don't get to excited I'm here for a different reason than to join your little band of misfits." Dante said with a flourish of his hand.

"You say that like we're some wanabes or petty criminals." The imperial woman said.

"Look I don't give a damn about how good you are or how important you think you are, I have actually important business and am not going to waste my time dealing with prideful asses like you." Dante said to her.

"Why I should cut off-"

"That's enough Vex. I take it this has something to do with you being Dragonborn yes?" Brynjolf asked cutting her off.

"It does." Dante said plainly he wasn't surprised that Brynjolf knew who he was.

"Then what is it you need?" Brynjolf asked looking clearly disappointed.

"I'm looking for someone. A friend of yours told me he was down here, but I don't feel like wandering this disgusting sewer searching for him so I thought you would point me to him." Dante said.

"Ah, you're looking for that old man Esbern I take it." He replied.

"That's right and I need to find him before the Thalmor do." Dante said

"They're already on their way in but they don't know where to look. This means that you have time to do another job for me and you'll get your pay and the info you want." Brynjolf said with a gleam in his eyes.

"I don't have time for your bullshit, your gonna tell me were that info is or I'll lop that smug head from your shoulders and that'll be better than what will happen if the dragons win because you didn't help me and they set the world on fire. I'm sure there's a lot to be made in ashes just ask the Dunmer in Morrowind." Dante said his temper flaring a bit at Brynjolf.

"Oh you'll regret that, Dirge!" Vex shouted

"On it." He said drawing his war axe.

"Bring it on you dimwitted meathead." Dante said egging him on the man took the bait and charged right at him but Dante didn't feel like playing the elusive shadow and blocked the strike by grabbing his wrist mid-swing and then broke it, he then picked the large man up by the throat and with his right hand drew Ivory and stabbed him. Dante then hurled him back to the floor and turned to block Vex's incoming dagger with a bloody Ivory and drove his knee into her solar plexus and then grabbed her head as she doubled over and drove his knee into her face causing a loud crack as her nose crunched under the strength he'd put behind the knee.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Brynjolf shouted stopping the others in the Flagon as they drew their blades as Vex hit the floor.

"Smart, I've killed much stronger and more impressive foes and groups than yours." Dante said returning to a more relaxed stance after wiping the blood on Ivory off on Vex and then sheathing it.

"The man you're looking for is in the Warrens through that door and the Vaults. The Thalmor are probably crawling all over there. Now lad, why don't we get past this and perhaps you'll be able to join us instead of kill us." Brynjolf said holding his hands away from his weapons to show his intent.

"I doubt I will, but better you keep that one on a leash as I'm sure she'll come after me to get some kind payback and if that happens all you'll find is her head on a spear with the butt shoved in… well an undesirable place let's say." Dante said pointing at Vex on the floor. And with that he headed through the door and into the Ratway Vaults. He was greeted instantly by a group of Thalmor one was turned away from where Dante entered and more were further into a small room. Dante kept up behind him and gave him a sharp kick in the back of his knee; he then caught him around his mouth and the base of his skull and then snapped his neck as he threw him to the ground. He killed the next few without even drawing a weapon. He moved deeper into the Warrens running into a few more Thalmor as he came lower he saw one on a lower platform under him and more even lower than that one. Dante dropped down toward the one on the platform he used his momentum as the force as well as muscle behind the punch to the elf's face as he came in from the side. The powerful strike hit his target so hard it knocked him right to the ground and as he turned to look up at him Dante kicked him hard in the face driving his nose back into his skull from the force behind the kick and the impact of his skull off the ground he was dead and it had only taken a second. The others met an ebony arrow to the throat or between the eyes. He was at another door this one no doubt led to the Warrens. Dante entered and after some more tunnel navigation found a large heavy wooden door with a viewing slot. It looked to have been reinforced and there were multiple locks… okay multiple puts it mildly there were actually a ridiculous number over ten… Dante knocked on the door and the slot slid open and he could see an elderly man through the slot.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He asked suspiciously.

"Esbern? I'm a friend I promise I need to talk to you." Dante said

"What no, no I'm not Esbern." He said shaking his head.

"Hey calm down there old man Delphine sent me." Dante coaxed.

"Delphine? How did you find her… I… no, no I don't know what you're talking about." Esbern insisted.

"Hey, I'm the one you Blades have been searching for I'm Dragonborn." Dante said.

You're Dragonborn? Well perhaps… Give me a moment to open the door." Esbern said. Dante then heard multiple clicks and sliding as Esbern unlocked the many locks and mumbled about how a few were prone to sticking or were particularly tricky.

"Ah, there we go come in quickly." Esbern said as he slid the door open with the accompanying sound of rattling chains. Dante came in and Esbern slid it closed and didn't bother to lock the locks, thankfully.

"So… you're Dragonborn?" Esbern asked looking down a little; the old man really was 6'6"…

"That's what everyone keeps telling me… Dante said letting his flip tongue have its way.

"Ha, well then it would seem there is hope, nobody listened when I warned them but now with the dragons' return I'm sure they're kicking themselves." Esbern said bitterly.

"Back up old timer what does the return of the dragons mean?" Dante asked

"It means the End of Days is here!" Esbern exclaimed tossing his hands in the air.

"You mean the literal end of the world?" Dante asked his eyebrows going up.

"Yes, Alduin has returned The World Eater, the devourer of the souls of the dead." Esbern said

"Alduin…the black dragon who's been raising the others?" Dante asked feeling something… odd at the mention of the name.

"Yes that's him. He's known as the World Eater for good reason and we're soon to find out just what that'll be like." Esbern said.

"It can't be that hopeless, I mean what good would there be in being Dragonborn if I couldn't stop the worlds end?" Dante asked rhetorically.

"Your right of course, it's just that I've lived so long without any hope it's strange to have it again." Esbern apologized.

"Well why don't we get to Riverwood so you can tell me how to stop Alduin?" Dante asked.

"Of course just let me grab some of my things and I'll be ready." Esbern said as he hot to grabbing things. It had to be a solid five minutes Dante sat there watching the old man scurry around grabbing different tomes and items. He had actually sat down on the cluttered desk and continued waiting.

"All right that should be it. Let's go." Esbern said standing tall before Dante.

"Okay then we can get out of…" Dante trailed off as he heard voices outside, they were Altmer.

"Shit, the Thalmor are here stay inside I'll go out there and clear them out." Dante said to which Esbern nodded. Dante crept out of the small room and into the darkness of the sewers. He ran quietly at the wall and jumped up and pushed off it to get higher to grab a handhold that the stonework created. He used it to quickly and quietly move around the room without touching the ground. The Thalmor Agents just began entering the room. Dante waited for the final one to enter and the second he saw the front of his robes he pounced down on top of him, knocking him to the ground, the elf only had enough time for his eyes to go wide before Dante gave him a punch hard enough in his nose to kill him. The others turned and Dante charged at the first one, he grabbed her by the shoulder with his left hand and drove his knee into her gut and then as her momentum brought her forward fast, Dante spun driving his right elbow into her nose killing her. In a matter of seconds he had killed the group's two mages. The final three he drew Rebellion and killed them all in only a few more seconds. Dante approached the door and knocked.

"Alright Esbern they're dead you can come out now." Dante said.

"Well, I can see the Gods chose the Dragonborn well." Esbern said looking around at the carnage.

"We'd better get going before more show up." Dante said leading Esbern out. It hadn't taken them long to get out of the Warrens and the Vaults. Back in the Flagon Dante saw Dirge bandaged up sitting in the corner and Vex was nursing her newly straitened nose that still dumped blood out of it. They both avoided looking up.

"Looks like you found him then lad." Brynjolf said, "You were right though we had to talk some sense into Vex so she didn't try to rush after you. I had to explain how if she went after you and when you had beaten her to a bloody pulp and left her for dead in the Warrens I would make sure no one would come to her rescue."

"Thanks Brynjolf, I may be back some day. You guys seem like you could use the help." Dante said.

"When you do I'll have something ready for you." Brynjolf said smiling at their new understanding. Dante nodded and him and Esbern made their out of the Ratway and Riften. He hired a carriage to take them to Riverwood for his new elderly companion. They arrived at first light the next day. He led Esbern into the Sleeping Giant and asked the barkeep if Delphine was in her room.

"Yeah, she said to send you right down." He said. And Dante led Esbern inside and closed the door behind them and then they went through the secret door and into Delphine's little hideout.

"Esbern!" Delphine exclaimed and jogged up to the old nord the difference in their height made Dante laugh as they hugged.

"It's good to see you Delphine, the years seem to have been better to you then they were to me." Esbern said.

"You too old friend, but I think we need to get some explanation into what's going on." She said as they separated. At this Esbern begins weaving a tale about Alduin and how he would destroy all things. It all led to talking about some old relic and the old Akaviri temples of the area.

"Sky Haven Temple is where it rests, the main power of the Akaviri in Skyrim was based there and it is now the safe keeper of Alduin's Wall." Esbern explained. He seemed to speak with an odd reverence. But Dante had a bigger question…

**Author Notes: Well things are getting rolling thankfully and I'm excited that we're starting to get to the better bits… As always…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"**To find an Elder Scroll"**

"Alduin's Wall?" Dante asked

"Yes, Alduin's Wall. It is where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return. Part history, part prophecy. Its location has been lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost you see, just forgotten." Esbern explained.

"So you think that Alduin's Wall will tell us how to defeat Alduin then?" Delphine asked.

"Well, yes but… there's no guarantee, of course." Esbern admitted.

"Well it's sure as shit better than what we had. So, Sky Haven it is." Dante said.

"I know the area of the Reach that Esbern's talking about. Near what's now known as Karthspire, in the-"

"Karth River canyon. Yeah I know too I've been there before. It's full of Forsworn. You can meet me there I'll get there first and clear the place sound good?" Dante asked to which the two Blades nodded and he was off.

* * *

><p>The Forsworn hadn't posed much of a threat and Dante had killed the psychotic natives of the Reach. After two hours of waiting he saw the duo walking into the now cleared camp. 'Not for long… it hadn't taken them long to refill the place since my previous visit.' Dante thought. They were just entering the cave when Dante heard the familiar roar. "Shit, Dragon! Get inside you two I'll deal with it." Dante ordered pushing them inside. Delphine led Esbern further into the cave while Dante drew Rebellion and turned to face the Elder Dragon. (at least from what he'd learned from researching the ancient beasts was what the different types looked like.) This one was not going to be easy. The beast released a fountain of flame towards Dante. It covered to big an area to simply roll out of the way. "<em>WULD-NAH-KEST!<em>" Dante shouted and instantaneously was out of the flames path and then quite a bit. He turned to face it and released yet another Thu'um, "_FO-KRAH-DIIN!_" Dante's voice became a dragon roar as he breathed frosty snow and ice into the face of the Elder Dragon. It tried opening its jaws to roar but it seemed to not be able to from the frozen blood in its face. Dante used this opportunity and raced to the other side of Karthspire where he could draw it to the ground. He tried throwing a Thunderbolt at it, it stunned the dragon causing it to land but its stunning didn't last long and it stood up on its hind legs letting its front ones hang and extended its wings and sent a column of flame skyward. It tried coming down in an attempt to crush him. Dante had rolled clear just in time and came charging at its head. The Elder Dragon waited for him to get close enough before driving its head forward like a battering ram. It sent Dante flying back with a loud crack as its massive head broke his sternum and ribcage. Dante couldn't breathe as he coughed blood and tried to take deep breaths that just caused agonizing pain. Dante had to use a healing spell after he managed to crawl out of the Elder Dragon's sight though it knew he was there and began slowly lombering. Dante nearly passed out at the pain from his bones knitting themselves back together and his other internal wounds seal up. He turned just in time to see the Elder Dragon taking a breath to release an inferno on him. He rushed up to the beast and launched himself up and onto its leg and began climbing to its back it tried swinging its arm to shake him off to no avail. Once there Dante moved onto its head. It tried to simply pluck him of but a lash from Rebellion made it think twice about trying it twice. 'I hope this works…' Dante thought as his plan seemed to be working so far as he reached its head. The Elder Dragon raised its right hand up and drove it down with its amazing strength. But Dante jumped back down to the ground rolling as he did. The Dragon knocked itself senseless and it stumbled around aimlessly before it finally came down impaling its own head on Rebellion's blade. "Damn… I didn't think that would work in a thousand year but… ahhh shit…." Dante now realized the flaw in his plan as the he began absorbing the soul of his fallen foe… how was he going to get Rebellion out from under the dragon's massive skull?...

After two and a half hours, multiple failed blasts from destruction spells, and even an attempt to lift the skull himself, Dante decided on summoning a dremora. The devilish creature lifted the skull with one hand like it weighed nothing and removed Rebellion with the other. Dante now walked into the open part of the cave that harbored the entrance to Sky Haven Temple. Delphine and Esbern were eating when he entered the area.

"Well that took a while but you don't look any different than when you started the fight. What did you do? Talk it into leaving?" Delphine remarked.

"Uhhh, no I just got lucky and it didn't get any hits on me…" Dante lied in truth during the trials to pull Rebellion from its heavy new sheath; Dante had taken a few breaks and used them to clean himself up before jumping right back into the fray.

"Hmm, impressive. But now we can get into this temple." Delphine said. Dante had to solve two rather simple puzzles, the ancient Akaviri were apparently pretty bad at making puzzles unlike the damned Ancient Nords and their constant puzzles. The final area held the door and a large circle in the center of it.

"Ah, the ancient blood seal. It is unlocked by… well blood. Your blood specifically." Esbern explained. Dante walked over to the center of it and pulled off his left glove and drew Ivory. He then ran the razor sharp blade ever so gently down his hand and immediately crimson blood ran down his hand and pooled slightly on the seal. Dante used a weak healing spell on his cut and pulled his glove back on as the seal began to glow. The large head marking the entrance began lifting to reveal stairs that led to another door.

"After you Dragonborn. You should have the honor of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple." Delphine said reverently as she looked up the stairs. Dante nodded and headed up them and into the ancient temple.

The inside was massive; the room he had entered had to be the main chamber and was no doubt a meeting room by the large table that ran up the center to what had to be Alduin's Wall. It held many carvings he couldn't make out whatever Esbern planned to it really just seemed to be… A wall with carvings… He heard Delphine and Esbern marveling at the temple as they entered. When they began examining the wall Esbern explained it,

"Look here is Alduin. This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim." Esbern moved along the wall to a different part of the wall, "Here the humans rebel against their dragon overlords - the legendary Dragon War." He moved to the center, "Alduin's defeat is the centerpiece of the wall. You see, here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues – masters of the Voice – are arrayed against him."

"So, does it show how they defeated him? Isn't that why we're here?" Delphine said impatiently.

"Patience, my dear. The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism." Esbern continued, "Yes, yes. This here, coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes – this is the Akaviri symbol for "Shout". But… there's no way to know what Shout is meant." Esbern finished

"You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin? You're sure?" Delphine asked.

"Hmm?" Esbern being brought out of his contemplation, "Oh yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return."

"So we're looking for a Shout then. Damn it." Delphine said bitterly.

"Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?" Delphine asked turning to face Dante.

"I know many shouts but that's one I haven't even heard of… The Greybeards might know." Dante answered.

"You're probably right. I was hoping to avoid having to involve them in this, but it seems we have no choice." Delphine said bitterly again.

"What do you have against them?" Dante asked.

"If they had their way, you'd do nothing but sit up on their mountain with them and talk to the sky, or whatever it is they do. The Greybeards are so afraid of power that they won't use it. Think about it. Have they tried to stop the civil war, or done anything about Alduin? No. And they're afraid of you, of your power. Trust me, there's no need to be afraid. Think of Tiber Septim. Do you think he'd have founded the Empire if he'd listened to the Greybeards?" Delphine ranted.

"Yet the Greybeards are still around while you and your false god have been forgotten and left to rot. Good riddance I say, you're just an egomaniacal, washed up, pathetic, piece of refuse who will be forgotten by history soon enough. The Greybeards are a respected group of MONKS, they aren't warriors, they follow The Way of the Voice and do not get involved in stupid petty conflicts. And besides if YOU had YOUR WAY I'd be a weapon to be used for your own purposes so I don't want to hear another word of disrespect towards the Greybeards or I'll gut you and me and Esbern will stop Alduin without you. Now I'm going to go and talk to the Greybeards about this Shout you and Esbern stay here and see what those ancient Blades left for us." Dante said putting her in her place. Delphine was completely stunned by what he had said, but Dante had meant every word the Greybeards were wise men who had taught him much and he wouldn't stand to hear them disrespected, though he never raised his voice the entire time. Dante made his way out of Sky Haven Temple and towards High Hrothgar.

* * *

><p>"<em>LOK-VAH-KOOR!<em>" Dante shouted clearing more of the fog that seemed to blanket the entire road to the peak. He had used the Clear Skies shout nearly six times already after having learned it from the Greybeards close to an hour ago. They had told him of the shout he was seeking, Dragonrend. He saw the broken remains of a word wall as he broke to the peak in the setting suns orange light. "Well I certainly don't envy those old men when they have to come up here…" Dante said to himself. Suddenly a thunderous roar cracked the sky and made Dante shoot his gaze skyward. Drawing Rebellion he spotted the massive dragon circling overhead, it was bigger than even the Ancient dragons probably close to Alduin's size making him considerably higher in… well rank we'll say, than most dragons. The beast landed not ten feet from Dante and that's when he noticed its chipped horns and torn wings this one was old. It lowered its head to look Dante in the eye but it hadn't made any aggressive moves.

"_Drem Yol Lok_. Greetings, _wunduniik_. I am Paarthurnax. Who are you? What brings you to my _strunmah_… my mountain?" It asked in its deep voice.

"My name is Dante… I've gotta be honest I didn't expect you to be a dragon…" Dante said.

"I am as my father Akatosh made me. As are you… Dovahkiin. Tell me. Why do you come here, _volaan_? Why do you intrude on my meditation?" Paarthurnax asked.

"I need to learn the Dragonrend Shout. Can you teach me?" Dante answered then asked.

"_Drem_. Patience. There are formalities which must be observed, at the first meeting of two of the dov." Paarthurnax turned slightly then turned his neck back to face Dante, "By long tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it, if you are Dovahkiin!" He then breathed fire at the word wall and there was a word left behind. Dante approached and heard the word within him felt it's heat, _SHUL_ or Sun.

"A gift Dovahkiin. _SHUL_. Understand fire as the dov do." Paarthurnax then added his understanding of the word to the already existing dragons', "Now show me what you can do. Greet me not as man, but as dovah!" He roared. Dante took a deep breath, "_YOL-TOOR-SHUL!_" His roar mixed in with Paarthurnax as he returned the fire breath and they collided with unnatural power. They both let go simultaneously.

"Aaah…yes! _Sossedov los mul_. The dragon blood runs strong in you. It is long since I had the pleasure of speech with one of my own kind." Paarthurnax then took to the air and perched on the crumbling word wall. "So. You have made your way here, to me. No easy task for a _joor_… mortal. Even for one of _Dovah Sos_. Dragonblood."

"Can you teach me the Dragonrend Shout?" Dante asked.

"Ah. I have expected you. _Prodah_. You would not come all this way for _tinvaak_ with an old dovah. No. You seek your weapon against Alduin." Paarthurnax said.

"How did you know I came for Dragonrend?" Dante asked

"Alduin _komeyt tiid_ what else would you seek? Alduin and Dovahkiin return together. But, I do not know the Thu'um you seek. _Krosis_. It cannot be known to me. Your kind – _joorre_ – mortals – created it as a weapon against the dov… the dragons. Our _hadrimme_, our minds cannot even… comprehend its concepts." Paarthurnax explained.

"How can I learn it then?" Dante asked.

"_Drem_. All in good time. First a question for you. Why do you want to learn this Thu'um?" Paarthurnax asked.

"I need to stop Alduin." Dante answered plainly.

"Yes. Alduin… _zeymah_. The elder brother. Gifted, grasping and troublesome as is so often the case with firstborn. But why? Why must YOU stop Alduin?"

"The prophecy says only the Dragonborn can stop him." Dante said.

"True… But _qostiid_ – prophecy – tells what may be, not what should be. _Qostiid sahlo aak_. Just because you can do a thing, does not always mean you should. Hmph, do you have no better reason for acting than destiny? Are you nothing but a plaything of _dez_… of fate?" Paarthurnax asked lowering his head closer so it was only a hands breadth from Dante.

He didn't back down, "I don't believe in destiny… But I will stop Alduin with or without the help of a washed up dovah."

"And so, perhaps your destiny will be fulfilled. Who can say? _Dez motmahus_. Even to the dov, who ride the currents of Time, destiny is elusive. Alduin believes that he will prevail, with good reason. _Rok mul_. And he is no fool. _Ni mey, rinik gut nol_. Far from it. He began as the wisest and most far-seeing of us all. But you have indulged my weakness for speech long enough. _Krosis_. Now I will answer your question. Do you know why I live here, at the peak of the _Monahven_ – what you name Throat of the World?"

"So to answer my question you ask one? Hhhh, I never thought about it…" Dante breathed.

"This is the most sacred mountain in Skyrim. _Zok revak strunmah_. The great mountain of the world. Here the ancient Tongues, the first mortal masters of the Voice, brought Alduin to battle and defeated him." Paarthurnax said

"Using the Dragonrend Shout, right?" Dante asked.

"Yes and no. _Viik nuz ni kron_. Alduin was not truly defeated, either. If he was, you would not be here today, seeking to… defeat him. The nords of those days used the Dragonrend Shout to cripple Alduin. But this was not enough. _Ok mulaag unslaad_. It was the _Kel_ – the Elder Scroll. They used it to… cast him adrift on the currents of Time." Paarthurnax explained.

"The ancient nords used an Elder Scroll to send Alduin forward in time?" Dante asked.

"Not intentionally. Some hoped he would be gone forever, forever lost. _Meyye_. I knew better. _Tiid bo amativ_. Time flows ever onward. One day he would surface. Which is why I have lived here. For thousands of mortal years I have waited. I knew he would emerge but not when." Paarthurnax said

"So you dropped the fucking ball, cause he's back and what exactly did you plan to do when he did emerge… And how the fuck does any of this help me?" Dante asked heatedly.

"_Tiid krent_. Time was… shattered here because of what the ancient nords did to Alduin. If you brought that _Kel_, that Elder Scroll back here… to the _Tiid-Ahraan_, the Time Wound… With the Elder Scroll that was used to break Time, you may be able to… cast yourself back. To the other end of the break. You could learn Dragonrend from those who created it." Paarthurnax explained.

"Do you know where I can find the Elder Scroll?" Dante asked.

"_Krosis_. No. I know little of what has passed below in the long years I have lived here. You are likely better informed than I." Paarthurnax apologized.

"Hmmm… Someone at the College of Winterhold might know…" Dante thought out loud.

"Trust your instincts, Dovahkiin. Your blood will show you the way." Paarthurnax said.

"What do I do with the Elder Scroll when I find it?" Dante asked.

"Return it here, to the _Tiid-Ahraan_. Then… _Kelle vomindok_. Nothing is certain with such things… But I believe the Scroll's bond with the _Tiid-Ahraan_ will allow you a… a seeing, a vision of the moment of its creation. Then you will feel – know – Dragonrend, in the power of its first expression. You will see them… _wuth fadonne_… my friends – Hakon, Gormlaith, Felldir." Paarthurnax said

"Hakon, Gormlaith, Felldir? Who are they?" Dante asked.

"The first mortals that I taught the Thu'um – the first Tongues. The leaders of the rebellion against Alduin. They were mighty, in their day. Even to attempt to defeat Alduin… _sahrot hunne_. The Nords have had many heroes since, but none greater." Paarthurnax said reminiscent.

"Yet I've never heard of them…" Dante said letting the flip comment out. The rest of the conversation Dante asked of how an Elder Scroll could cast Alduin through time and what the Dragonrend shout actually did. He planned to spend some time with the old dragon when he was done with Alduin. Well… if he survived. Dante got moving to Winterhold he knew the College would have something on the Elder Scroll.

* * *

><p>The "city" of Winterhold certainly left something to be desired all that remained of it was, the inn a small store and the Jarl's longhouse. The College on the other hand was massive nearly as big as Whiterun and yet none of it had crumbled into the sea. Not even the bridge which still held up it only missed the bottom of where it connected to the ground below it. Dante met the woman no doubt kept out the common rabble.<p>

"Are you seeking to join the College?" The Altmer woman asked.

"Maybe someday but not now. Now I have important business here." Dante said

"And what might that be?" She asked arcing an eyebrow.

"I need to find an Elder Scroll, and so I need to speak to whoever maintains your files." Dante said.

"Why in Oblivion do you need an Elder Scroll?" She asked.

"I'm the Dragonborn and I need it to stop them from destroying the world." Dante said truthfully.

"Yes and I'm the next High Queen of Skyrim…" She said.

"The way things are today you could be… But I'll prove it… _YOL-TOOR-SHUL!_" Dante let the fire fly skyward and dissipate.

"Anyone can learn-"

"_FEIM-ZII-GRON!_" Dante shouted interrupting her and walking right through her and when she tried grabbing him to stop him her and went right through him. But Dante stopped.

"Do you believe me now or do you want me to freeze you solid next?" Dante asked.

"No, no just go to the library in the main hall after I let you through the gate." She said holding up her hands.

"Thank you. _Daal_." Dante returned to his normal form. He walked across the bridge with the Altmer woman. After the gate opened he nodded to her in thanks and farewell and entered the College of Winterhold. There had to be hundreds of students all heading in different directions. Many different ages as well late teens to even early fifties. Every race and both genders coexisted 'If only they could do that in the rest of the world…' Dante thought to himself. The looks he got from a lot of the younger women made him wish he'd worn his hood and cowl. Dante ignored the looks and kept going toward the massive main hall. From there he asked where he could find the library from there and was directed up quite a few stairs. The library had to have been close to the size of Dragonsreach. Dante headed for the circular desk/counter in the center of the library. The librarian was an older Orc surprisingly.

"Yes, what do you need?" He asked Dante in a rather annoyed tone.

"I'm the Dragonborn and I need to find an Elder Scroll if we're going to have a hope of surviving the dragons return." Dante said quickly explaining his reason for being here. The Orc seemed to accept this after only a short moment of consideration. 'Glad to see he isn't overly skeptical.' Dante thought. The librarian returned with a few books.

"Well this is all we have on the Elder Scrolls. But, one of our own who became… shall we say, engrossed in the Elder Scrolls, is off on a quest to find one. Last I heard he was up in the northern ice fields." He said.

"Thank you, I think I'll follow that lead instead of the books." Dante said.

"I figured that would be more useful. Plus I don't have to worry about you damaging the books." The librarian said as he gathered the books and headed off. At that Dante got moving.

Down by the water Dante had to think of some way to reach the ice without taking a dip in the water considering that while his thick Nordic blood might keep out the biting chill of the cold weather but it wasn't much help against the glacial cold water, it certainly didn't help when he checked out the wrecked ships. He did gain a new resistance to it through his time spent in the water, but he would prefer to stay dry. He decided he'd use his Whirlwind Sprint. Once on the ice Dante wandered around looking for any sign of life and it took him quite some time to even cross part of the ice fields as he had to tread on thin ice and he wasn't very particular in falling down through it. But just when he had all but given up hope he spotted a row boat "docked" on the ice and close was a small wooden door that led down into a glacier.

"Well let's hope his info is better than his hideout choice. Why can't the crazy hermits pick a nice place to live like… a castle or something that isn't the equivalent of a cave?" Dante asked himself as he lowered himself inside. Little did he know he should be careful what he wishes for…

**Author Notes: MERRY CHRISTMAS!… Or any of the other holidays out there…**

**Well we're getting on, next chapter will be the beginning of one of the parts I've been dying to get to. Till then…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Notes: Well this is going to become something I do from time to time. The title of this chapter is also a song that will represent the chapter. So whenever you see chapter track you'll know what's going on.**

**Chapter Track: Nobody's Hero – Black Veil Brides**

**Chapter 10**

"**Nobody's Hero"**

**Deep below the surface of Skyrim**

"Well I'll be damned that crazy bastard wasn't quite as crazy as I thought…" Dante said to himself as he marveled at the massive cavern and underground city known as Blackreach. He walked down the paths of the nearly pitch black city and marveled at the glowing mushrooms and the ceiling that's glow was almost reminiscent of the night sky. The place was full of Falmer, the blind remnants of the Snow Elves. Dante snuck past their "patrols" and only killed the ones that he couldn't avoid. He knew he'd be back down in the Dwemer city that no doubt spanned the Pale, Winterhold, and maybe even Eastmarch. Dante saw the nearly opaque waters that shimmered a light blueish-teal. He found one of the towers far from where he entered and figured he'd try there before infiltrating the giant courtyard under a massive glowing ball.

The inside was empty holding the forlorn look that the other Dwemer ruins held the look that they were abandoned in the middle of an average day. Dante eventually came to a large room that had some crazy contraption inside climbing the way up the ramps he approached the large gem like item in the center of the room. Something about it though… It seemed to call to him… He had found the Elder Scroll it had to be. Dante quickly made his way to the controls of the metal lock. He placed the Lexicon in its slot and began pushing buttons and waiting for something to happen… He pressed them and soon enough all the buttons got locked and he saw the Lexicon turn blue and the gem open up. Grabbing the Lexicon Dante rushed down the ramp and up to the Elder Scroll. Dante then reverently picked it up out of its sarcophagus. Strapping it to his quiver he headed for the lift at the end of the hall.

* * *

><p>Back on the surface Dante headed for the ice fields to give the old hermit his Lexicon. He blabbered on about how he needed to read its knowledge and how the Elder Scroll was useless to him and Dante could keep it. He also told Dante that he would contact him when he had learned what he needed to from the Lexicon to open the Dwemer Lockbox. Dante left the ice fields immediately after finishing with him. He headed for the Throat of the World and got the odd feeling that something bad was looming just over the horizon…<p>

Back at the peak of the Throat of the World Dante saw Paarthurnax waiting for him perched on one of the rocks flanking the path to the peak almost like an entrance.

"You have it The _Kel_ – the Elder Scroll. _Tiid kreh… qalos_. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom-driven. _Kogaan_ Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs." Paarthurnax said. Dante walked over to the glimmering Time-Wound. He stood in the center of it and pulled the Elder Scroll in front of himself and unfurled it and seemed to go into a trance almost instantly and dropped the Scroll in the snow and watched history unfold before him…

* * *

><p>After a temporary blindness, Dante regained his vision and found himself in the Merethic Era, unable to move and forced to watch past events. The strange carvings on the Elder Scroll were still visible and his vision blurred and tinted red. He watched as the ancient Nord, Hakon One-Eye fought a dragon atop the Throat of the World.<p>

"Gormlaith! We're running out of time! The battle..." The large Nord said looking off where Dante couldn't see.

"_Daar sul thur se Alduin vokrii_. Today Alduin's lordship will be restored. But I honor your courage. _Krif voth ahkrin_. Die now, in vain." The dragon mocked.

"For Skyrim!" Hakon yelled. He attacked with his large battle-axe rolling around its attempt to torch him. He then charged it and attacked. Suddenly a tall woman charged at the dragon and pushed Hakon aside and jumped on the dragons head. Dante already hated her she was drunk on blood and glory.

"Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!" she yelled arrogantly as she plunged her sword into the dragon's eye killing it. After killing the dragon they sheathed their weapons and walked past a corpse.

"Hakon! A glorious day, is it not!?" The woman asked

"Have you no thought beyond the blooding of your blade?" Hakon asked

"What else is there?" she asked spreading her arms wide. Dante really didn't like her...

"The battle below goes ill. If Alduin does not rise to our challenge, I fear all may be lost." Hakon said with worry but not fear.

"You worry too much, brother. Victory will be ours." Gormlaith reassured. Just then an old man appeared.

"Why does Alduin hang back? We've staked everything on this plan of yours, old man." Hakon asked him.

"He will come. He cannot ignore our defiance. And why should he fear us, even now?" The old man asked raising an eyebrow

"We've bloodied him well. Four of his kin have fallen to my blade alone this day." Gormlaith stated arrogantly.

"But none have yet stood against Alduin himself. Galthor, Sorri, Birkir..." the old man trailed off.

"They did not have Dragonrend. Once we bring him down, I promise I will have his head." She scoffed just as arrogantly.

"You do not understand. Alduin cannot be slain like a lesser dragon. He is beyond our strength. Which is why I brought the Elder Scroll." Felldir then pulled out the Elder Scroll, much to the surprise of Hakon.

"Felldir! We agreed not to use it!" Hakon shouted.

"I never agreed. And if you are right, I will not need it." Felldir said putting it back.

"No. We will deal with Alduin ourselves, here and now." Hakon said turning back around to look off at the horizon.

"We shall see soon enough. Alduin approaches!" Gormlaith said

"So be it." The ancient Nords drew their weapons, as Alduin landed atop the word wall before it fell apart.

"_Meyye! Tahrodiis aanne! Him hinde pah liiv! Zu'u hin daan!_" Alduin said in his tongue.

"Let those that watch from Sovngarde envy us this day!" Gormlaith said before they all shouted at once,

"_JOOR-ZAH-FRUL!_" Dante instantly knew and felt the shout in him it was full of hate and resentment. At this Alduin fell from the sky managing to land instead of eat the mountain top.

"_Nivahriin joorre_! What have you done? What twisted Words have you created?! _Tahrodiis _Paarthurnax! My teeth to his neck! But first... _dir ko maar_. You will die in terror, knowing your final fate... To feed my power when I come for you in Sovngarde!" Alduin said. Dante surprisingly had to agree with him on the words of Dragonrend. They were twisted and involuntarily caused his Dragonblood to boil outraged at the twisting of its proud tongue.

"If I die today, it will not be in terror. You feel fear for the first time, worm. I see it in your eyes. Skyrim will be free!" Gormlaith shouted as the ancient Nords attacked the World-Eater. Their attack was seemingly unnoticed by him he certainly proved this when he snapped Gormlaith in two causing blood to spurt and spray all over the snow and her comrades. Alduin then spit her upper half off the mountain.

"No, damn you! It's no use! Use the Scroll, Felldir! Now!" Hakon said giving up on his plan.

"Hold, Alduin on the Wing! Sister Hawk, grant us your sacred breath to make this contract heard! Begone, World-Eater! By words with older bones than your own we break your perch on this age and send you out! You are banished! Alduin, we shout you out from all our endings unto the last!" He shouted and the Scroll surrounded Alduin in a greenish light and he looked around confused.

"_Faal Kel...?! Nikriinne..._" Alduin roared before being cast into the flow of time and simply kicking the can down the road for Dante to deal with.

"You are banished!" Felldir yelled triumphantly.

"It worked... you did it..." Hakon said as he collapsed to his back in the snow.

"Yes, the World-Eater is gone... may the spirits have mercy on our souls." Felldir said reticently before joining Hakon on the ground.

The strange carvings glowed brightly and Dante was blinded by a swirling white light before returning to his own time and waking from his trance. He heard the unmistakable flapping of wings and looked up to see Alduin hovering overhead.

"_Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor._ My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!" Alduin said mockingly before continuing to circle the mountain top.

"_Lost funt_. You are too late, Alduin!" Paarthurnax called turning to Dante, "Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!" At that Paarthurnax took to the sky.

"_JOOR-ZAH-FRUL!_" Dante shouted and the Shout struck Alduin and he came down.

"_Ruth wah nivahriin joor_! You may have picked up the weapons of my ancient foes, but you are not their equal!" Alduin said annoyed more than anything.

"Your right… I'm better." Dante said giving him a smirk before drawing Rebellion.

"_WULD-NAH-KEST_!" Dante shouted covering the distance to Alduin and slashing him across the snout eliciting a furious roar. He tried to sweep Dante with his claws but Dante ducked in time and tried to drive Rebellion through Alduin's heart but he drove his fist into the ground which Dante narrowly avoided. Dante then shouted fire, "_YOL-TOOR-SHUL_!" His flames hit Alduin and engulfed him. All it elicited was a dragon's equivalent of a grin.

"Your pathetic flames may harm my lesser brothers but are nothing to me only the blue flames that a true Dovahkiin possesses can even hope to harm me. But you are not that powerful and certainly couldn't manage to use them!" Alduin mocked. Dante had to dive behind the word wall to protect himself from Alduin's flames. They were red, not the usual orange-red of flames but red like his eyes. The flames began to melt the wall and Dante ran out from behind it. He hit Alduin with Dragonrend again to make sure he wasn't going anywhere as he jumped on his arm, driving Rebellion in to get a handhold and pull himself to Alduin's back. He ran to his head but Alduin seemed far more annoyed than concerned. Dante shook off his confusion and drove Rebellion through the top of Alduin's skull. Again only a grin as he laughed at Dante. Dante pulled Rebellion from his head just as Alduin punched him off his head. Dante heard probably most of the bones in his body break as he flew into the word wall. His vision swam and was nearly gone when he heard a shout "_ALOK-LAAS-ZEYMAH!_" felt his bones knit together and life return to him faster than any healing spell. He looked up and saw Paarthurnax and just when he did he saw Alduin smash into him in the air and blast him to the word wall with his fire breath. Dante only barely managed to scramble out of the way. Just as he did Alduin landed in front of him.

"_Nivahriin joorre_. I do not need to take to the sky to defeat you, Dovahkiin." Alduin said. At this Dante pushed himself up and charged at Alduin rolling under a sweep of his claws and then leaping up to drive Rebellion through his heart.

Dante pushed Rebellion out by flipping up and pushing against Alduin's chest and he managed to flip the rest of the way and land on his feet. When he turned to face Alduin his heart sank. He was laughing at Dante.

"Just like my ancient foes you believe a blade can kill me. Perhaps it will my brothers but not I." Alduin lowered his head down to look Dante in the eye as he smiled, "Besides… what makes you think I have a heart…" Alduin said raising a scaled… eyebrow?... At this he head-butted Dante with all his strength. Dante went sailing back as he broke again he smashed into the ground and slid to the edge of the mountain top. He could only raise his head as Alduin took to the sky.

"Well Dovahkiin I think I'll go and destroy that little village at the foot of this mountain and after, I'll finish what Mirmulnir started at the city of Whiterun. And do you want to know the best part about it Dovahkiin? You can't stop me no matter how hard you try or how many weapons you bring, you pathetic weak_ joorre_." Alduin said before flying off.

* * *

><p>Dante could barely move and the little he did he nearly passed from the pain.<p>

"Paarthurnax…. Are… you… alright..?" Dante asked as his vision swam and he lay there coughing blood and feeling his life ebbing away. He didn't respond.

"Paarthurnax… I need…..your help…" Dante said feeling the encroaching blackness as his vision was down to nothing but a small dot and he knew he wouldn't be waking back up… Suddenly there was a loud rustling and a massive claw flipped Dante on his back.

"_ALOK-LAAS-ZEYMAH!_" Paarthurnax shouted and Dante felt his bones doing the same near instant knitting back together and life flood him. Dante took a deep breath and flipped back over on his hands and knees and spit out the left over blood.

"Thank you…" Dante said looking up at him and taking deep breaths.

"Do not thank me to soon, Dovahkiin. Alduin is now destroying one your cities and he will not stop there. You must go now and stop him." Paarthurnax said.

"But… I'm not strong enough to defeat him…" Dante said.

"You will be… but right now the best you can do is save as many of your people as you can. Now go!" Paarthurnax ordered. And Dante took off grabbing the Elder Scroll on his way. Be sprinted down not even slowing down to let the fog fully dissipate after using his Clear Skies shout. He didn't even stop in High Hrothgar just sprinted through leaving the doors wide open and Arngeir shouting to stop. But Dante just kept sprinting even as the greys and whites of the mountain flashed past him. He leaped down the stair and slid around corners. He eventually came to the remnants of Ivarstead. The city was awash in red flames. Dante knew Alduin had been passive about its destruction by the fact that there were still a large number of survivors. They must have run and hid when Alduin arrived. He was running again heading for the mountain pass that lead from Falkreath to the Rift. It was dangerous but shorter than the trip all the way around and through Eastmarch. He avoided the many areas where bandits might set up ambushes for caravans that made the decision to take this path instead of the safety of heading through Eastmarch. When he burst through the thick brush of the pine forest and sprinted down the path to Falkreath he didn't note any smoke and so knew Alduin hadn't gone around the mountain that way. He sprinted through the town shoving guards and citizens alike out of the way. His lungs screamed and he thought he might pass out by the time he made it to the high pass from Riverwood to Whiterun that overlooked the city. Alduin was still there circling the skies above the city and watching as he burned buildings and dip down into the city disappearing for a minute before popping back out and resuming his circling. Dante noticed people funneling out of the cave that came from the Underforge the Companions were no doubt helping the people escape and the front gate. Dante took off again rushing to the city pushing his way through the people at the gate. Once he finally broke through into the city he knew he had to keep Alduin distracted while the people escaped.

"Hey down here you scaly bastard! You want to finish me right!? Well I'm not dead yet so come and get it!" Dante yelled at the massive black shadow circling the sky that he had caused to rain meteors. He came to hover over the city but didn't fight him just grinned at him.

"No, Dovahkiin. I will not fight you because I want you to see the devastation I've caused here. Know that I will do this to all of you joorre's cities. I will kill you all in this world and then devour your soul in the next life you have before I swallow the world." Alduin said grinning the whole time.

"But I will give you a chance to fight me. Three weeks I will give you to find me and we will have our final battle before I destroy this world." Alduin said

"Do you know why I do this? Because… I can, because… you can't stop me." Alduin mocked.

"Three weeks and if you do not find me I will destroy the world and you must watch me do so. But for now look around you at the city that you couldn't save the joorre you couldn't save and wallow in your misery until you choke on it." Alduin finished before flying off. Dante looked around him in the red hue that the meteor shower gave off at the corpses. There were people torn in half some half eaten some that the skin and flesh had been swept away with claws leaving behind bloody ribcages and other bits of the skeleton. And then there were the countless people burned to ashes or charred beyond recognition. The stench of blood burning flesh and wood, and finally of death was oppressive. He found the corpses of a mother clutching her child no doubt trying to protect the child from the flames but to no avail as they were completely charred and fused together to where Dante couldn't tell where one began and the other one ended. He looked around at the burned down buildings they were countless… Dante retuned his gaze to the people, the people that had believed in him, that him the Dragonborn would save them from the dragons, that he was a hero. 'How when I couldn't even save these people will I save the world?' Dante thought to himself. "I'm nobody's hero…" He said to himself before exploding in rage and smashing his fist through the remnants of a house's wall…

**Author's Notes: Well here we are, Dante is going to go back to his old ways and change drastically. I always thought that Alduin was far too easy of a fight in the game, I mean he's supposed to be the World-Eater, End of days monster yet you kick his ass twice… Just never made sense to me same with how you could just kill him with your sword or whatever you use cause I mean anybody can use those things and yet the Dragonborn is the only one who can stop him. Anyway next chapter will be after he under goes his change but not too much after. Till then…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"**The Thieves Guild"**

**2 days later**

Dante pushed his bangs over to the right as they were in his eye. He changed the side his hair laid to the right after he got his new piercings a ring in the bottom left corner of his lip and two small rings that hugged the lobe of his left ear. He had also gone back to the eyeliner and eye shadow he used to wear. He figured he needed to make a change in his life and while they were small they were bold. Dante stepped through the door into the Ragged Flagon ready to go back to his old ways everything was so much simpler then, he didn't have to be the Dragonborn and save everyone and he certainly didn't care about hurting others and so he abandoned his new life and the problems he had now. Someone else would have to deal with Alduin. He figured the Blades would jump at the chance to get their hands bloody. Too bad it would be their blood not Alduin's he only felt sympathy for Esbern he actually hoped Delphine ended up like Gormlaith. He stopped thinking about it all and let the cold mask come back after burying it for those years. He walked up to Brynjolf who smiled at his return.

"Ah, your back lad. You seem different… you certainly look it, but that's not my business have you finally come back to accept my offer?" Brynjolf asked.

"Yes I accept your offer. Now let's get this on the road so I can start making some money." Dante said startling himself with how easily he had fallen back into who he used to be.

"That's what I like to hear lad. Now I can show you what we're really about. Follow me." Brynjolf said leading Dante to the back of the Flagon near the door to the Ratway Vaults but turning and opening the cabinet sitting against the wall before pushing the false back aside and led Dante further into the back of the Flagon to another door past someone's sleeping quarters. They walked through and into the heart of the Thieves Guild. There were people bustling past in the huge chamber that made up the main area it no doubt covered the massive market above them. Dante looked around but he noticed one thing there were more beds than peoples… a lot more… There was also an odd almost depression that every member seemed to hide. Brynjolf led him to the center of the chamber that overhangs the water on a platform. There was a Breton wearing the same black armor that Brynjolf wore only it seemed slightly different probably because he was the Guild Master. He was decently tall, 5'10" and had a build similar to Dante and Brynjolf but he was smaller than them. He had greyish dirty blonde hair and probably hadn't shaved in a few days. He did have quite the coldness to him which probably stemmed from the bitterness in his expression or vice virsa.

"Mercer, this is the one I was talking about… our new recruit." Brynjolf said

"You've been talking about how useful he'd be for over a month now. This better not be another waste of guild resources, Brynjolf." He turned to face Dante, "Before we continue I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and lose your share. No debates, no discussions… you do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear."

"As mud." Dante said smirking,

"Such rapier wit, anyway, I think it's time we put your expertise to the test." Mercer said.

"Wait a moment, you're not talking about Goldenglow, are you? Even our little Vex couldn't get in." Brynjolf said with concern.

"You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let him prove it." Mercer retaliated.

"I've broken into palaces and rich estates aplenty back in Cyrodiil I can handle whatever you throw at me." Dante said plainly without the usual arrogance that most people would use when explaining themselves.

"If that's so than this will be a piece of cake. Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf will provide you with the details." Mercer explained.

"Mercer, aren't you forgetting something?" Brynjolf asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes…" Mercer began quietly, "Since Brynjolf assures me you'll be nothing but a benefit to us, then you're in. Welcome to the Thieves Guild" Mercer said before walking off towards his desk.

"Welcome to the family, lad. I'm expecting you to make us a lot of coin, so don't disappoint me." Brynjolf said with a hint of aggression.

"Watch your words I'm still the Dragonborn and can kill you with my voice alone. Now, how am I to get my cut? I've always been on my own where I didn't have any rules." Dante asked.

"Simple. Do as you're told and keep your blade clean. We can't turn a profit by killing. You should talk with Delvin Mallory and Vex. They know their way around this place and they'll be able to kick some extra jobs your way. Just watch yourself around Vex she might still be a little bitter about your last visit to us. Oh, and talk with Tonilia in the Flagon… she'll set you up with your new armor." Brynjolf said.

"I don't need it." Dante said pointing to his own armor that wasn't too far off from the armor Brynjolf wore granted Dante's was in better shape and had personal touches as well.

"Now, tell me about the Goldenglow job." Dante said.

"Goldenglow Estate is a bee farm; they raise the wretched little things for honey. It's owned by some smart-mouth wood elf named Aringoth. We need you to teach him a lesson by burning down three of the estate's precious hives and clearing out the safe in the main house." Brynjolf explained.

"Alright then, what's the catch?" Dante asked.

"The catch is you can't burn the whole place to the ground. That important client Mercer mentioned would be furious if you did." Brynjolf said.

"Don't piss off the clientele, makes sense." Dante said.

"Aye, the last thing we want to be doing is crossing our clients." Brynjolf agreed.

"What do you want me to do about Aringoth?" Dante asked

"Teach him a lesson, rough him up a bit. Maven prefers that Aringoth remains alive, but if he tries to stop you from getting the job done, kill him. The Guild has a lot riding on this. Don't make me look foolish by mucking it up." Brynjolf requested.

"Can I get some more details on Goldenglow?" Dante asked.

"Of course, lad. Goldenglow brought in a mountain of gold for the Guild. You could almost call it our sweetest deal. Then out of the clear blue, Aringoth stops sending us our cut. Mercer was… well, angry to put it kindly. So, we send in Vex and find out he's hired a bunch of mercenaries to guard the place." Brynjolf explained.

"Mercs? Why not the city guard?" Dante asked.

"Aye. Aringoth sent the city guard packing and fortified the entire island. In fact, Vex barely made it out of there alive. You should talk to her about it before you go." Brynjolf suggested.

"I have to ask why not just level the entire estate?" Dante asked.

"I'll give you one good reason. Maven Black-Briar. Burn all the hives and she'd have to import honey for Black-Briar Meadery which would cut into her profits." Brynjolf said.

"Maven Black-Briar is the influential client?" Dante asked.

"We had an arrangement with Maven. We keep an eye on Goldenglow Estate to make sure the honey kept flowing. If the workers had a dispute, we'd rough them up. If competitors tried to buy honey from Aringoth, we'd steal the shipments. In return, Maven allowed us to extort Aringoth and bring in a huge payout." Brynjolf said

"And just how dangerous is it to cross her?" Dante asked

"Let me put it to you this way. Nothing happens in Riften without Maven's consent. One word from her and you could end up spending the rest of the fourth era in prison." Brynjolf explained.

"Well I have some time to kill before night fall. I should go meet my fellow Guild members." Dante said.

"Good idea, lad. It's nice to finally have you on board." Brynjolf said with a smile. Dante nodded and went off to meet his new friends.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours later<strong>

Dante had met all of his Guild members and, to his own surprise, stopped one from extorting a stable boy after cheating him on a deal, he guessed he still had some good in him. He had the suspicion that he'd be spending the rest of the final three weeks of the world's existence with the Thieves Guild. He didn't mind, he wasn't strong enough to stop Alduin so he might as well die rich. Dante was now traveling down the path to Goldenglow Estate as the moons crested the horizon. Luckily it wasn't a full moon. Dante pulled up his hood and cowl as he approached the gates of Goldenglow. He melted into the shadows and snuck over to the wall that held the gate. There was a platform that one of the mercenaries was keeping watch on. Dante quietly ran up the wall to grab ahold of the platform just in front of the merc. He fluidly pulled himself up rolling up in front of the merc before he could do anything Dante punched him in hard in the throat crushing his windpipe and disabling his attempt at calling for help. He then kicked him off the platform to the ground below. Dante drew Aquila and put two arrows through a pair walking on patrol. He crept over to their bodies retrieved his arrows and hid their bodies. He kept moving towards the bee hives. He killed two more mercs and then laid down some runes along the bridge to the hives for when the rest came running to investigate the burning hives. Dante brought to life a flame in his hand and walked up to the first three hives he saw and pressed the magical flame into them igniting them and burning them down. He then moved off dropping off the island to the bit of dirt before the lake waters. He heard the mercs shouting about smoke and fire and then he heard the sounds of his runes exploding and the men dying. The runes made quick work of the mercenaries. He moved over to the estate figuring that the sewer would be pointless with the mercs dead. Dante picked the lock to the back door and snuck in. He moved through the first floor silently heading for the second where he knew the wood elf would be hiding. The guard by the stairs moved along past the stairs but just as he was about to come into view of the hall Dante moved up behind him and with his left hand gripping his mouth and right at the back he twisted and broke his neck. He dragged the body back under the stairs and headed up them after. He crept up behind one leaning against the wall and moved to his side but just out of his peripheral vision. Dante then stomped on the back of his knee collapsing the joint and moved forward grabbing him around the mouth with his right hand and the back of the mercs head with his left and as he moved forward he threw the merc to the ground breaking his neck in the process. The next was asleep. Dante came up to the bed and with Ebony slit his throat and jugular letting him bleed out as he tried to scream out unsuccessfully. The one sitting in his chair Dante put an arrow in the back of his neck and it came out his throat. Retrieving his arrow he proceeded to what he assumed was Aringoth's bedroom. Inside he found the elf searching the drawers of a dresser, probably for a weapon. Dante walked up to him the elf grabbed a bowl on the dresser and swung for Dante's head he fluidly ducked under it shifting to the left and then coming back up to swing his fist in a backhand motion to the right and shifting right as well and as the momentum of the hit brought Aringoth forward Dante grabbed him by the throat. He then pushed him back over the dresser.

"Well, well, I hope you were looking for the money you owe us." Dante said

"You're with the guild? Then well I don't have anything to say." Aringoth relented.

"That's fine." Dante said before he punched him in the ribs with his left and then kneed him in the stomach and repositioned his right from Aringoth's throat to the side of his head before slamming his head down on the dresser hard enough to make the wood crack. He then picked him up by the throat again and dragged him over to the double doors to his room. Dante then pushed him back against the right door and punched him in his already bloody face twice before giving him a sharp left kick in his right leg snapping his knee out of place and dropping him to it but Dante hit him with a right and he fell in between the crack of the slightly open doors. Dante kicked the left door hard into his face knocking him out cold and breaking his nose. He then searched his pockets and found the key to the safe. He also grabbed an expensive looking statue of a queen bee. Heading back downstairs Dante cleared the rest of the estate and emptied the safe but along with the gold was a note. It read:

_Aringoth,_

_This document acknowledges the sale of Goldenglow Estate and all property, assets and materials contained within. Payment of the property has been made in full by Gulum-Ei as an agent on behalf of the buyer. All dealings with the Thieves Guild in Riften is to cease immediately. To deter any possible retribution for this act, you are to take immediate steps to protect our assets in any way you see fit. I think you'll find that the Thieves Guild is far more bark than bite and will likely avoid Goldenglow Estate rather than thin their already dwindling numbers._

_Good luck and may this be the start of a long and lucrative partnership._

He saw that there was some symbol on the bill. 'Probably the buyer's version of a signature.' Dante thought as he put the bill away and left the now empty island, well except for Aringoth who would definitely think twice before trying something like that again.

"Word on the street is Goldenglow's been hit. Good job, lad." Brynjolf said as Dante approached him.

"Naturally, and here's what was in the safe." Dante said handing over the bill of sale.

"Let me take a look at what you found. Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What's that idiot thinking? He has no idea the extent of Maven's fury when she's been cut out of a deal, but I'm certain he'll find out. If only the parchment had the buyer's name instead of this odd symbol. Any idea what that might be?" Brynjolf asked.

"Not a clue." Dante said

"Blast. Well I'll check my sources and speak to Mercer." Brynjolf said.

"Not my problem, just need my payment." Dante said.

"Of course, lad. You keep doing right by us and there's plenty more where that came from." Brynjolf said.

After this Dante got some shut eye and started the next day of his life in the Thieves Guild which he would spend doing work for Maven Black Briar.

**Author Notes: Well Dante has now reached his final appearance, as we glimpsed in chapter 4. Next we'll catch up with him when he's going with Mercer to Snow Veil Sanctum. Till next time…**

**Gaudete, et perducant te in omni tempore deinceps incedas via.**


End file.
